I’ve always been somewhat uncomfortable with my Western privilege.
I sometimes feel guilty that I have so much choice before me when it comes to career. Yes, I want to do something meaningful. Yes, I want to make a difference. But deep down, I wonder if I’m just wasting a lot of time looking under rocks for some sort of all-encompassing “purpose” that I’ll never find. That I’m over-complicating things in my quest for meaning and in my desire to pursue my passions.
I’m aware that people all over the world have virtually no choice as to how to make a living. And then there’s the grass-is-greener-on-the-other side thing. Am I just looking for a better, more meaningful and fulfilling career because I’m wildly prone to discontentment?
I finally settled on switching the acronym around: LWYD. Love what you do. Because not everyone has the financial freedom to be able to do what they love. But everyone has the freedom to worship God through their work—and to do it wholeheartedly.
***
LWYD. I felt pretty good about my new little acronym, about having a humble attitude towards my work, and about remembering that work is worship. Some of us do have steep bills, family obligations and pressure to work two jobs. Some of us may never afford to DWYL as a singer or an artist. And none of us will be able to love what we do all the time. But all work is worship. Whether I’m cleaning up pet vomit, designing fashion swatches, painting houses, pushing paper or writing a screenplay, may I have the attitude that God has put me there. His hand is over me. I’m His child.
Too good to be true, but that’s what Scripture says. That pixie-dust element to our faith is actually rock-solid. It was earned on the cross and I never have to outgrow it. So LWYD. Love what you do. Knock your socks off waiting tables or fixing cars or rocking babies or rocking that lab coat or whatever it is that you do.
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I was about to wipe the dust off my hands, and walk away from the issue, happy with my neat little LWYD solution…until I spoke with an older, wiser mentor about it.
“Is a job a legitimate object of love?” he asked me. “Aren’t persons really the legitimate objects of love?”
I was stunned. In one simple question, he had uncovered so much that was wrong in my focus and in my attitude. Whether it’s about “loving what you do” or “doing what you love”, my attitude was in the wrong place. Because love as a verb was meant to be directed towards people and towards God. Not towards work, or even towards hobbies.
Don’t we throw that word around too loosely nowadays? I love fishing. I love fashion. I loved that movie. Isn’t love a lot more sacred than that? Our primary desire, our primary fulfillment actually comes when we love God with all our hearts, minds and souls, and when that overflows to people.
So my attitude shift, led to an attitude shift…that led to another attitude shift.
But really, it all just came full circle to the simplicity of the two greatest commandments: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind, and love your neighbour as yourself.
**This Post was first published in Relevant Magazine in April 2014, as recorded below:
