TheHighCalling.org: Professional Relationships

How Important Are Relationships? (Ramblin' Dan)

Dan Roloff — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 06:00:00 GMT

L. L. Barkat’s article, “Personal Business," got my attention. It’s about personal information in emails at work contrasted with a doctor’s personal concern for his patients. L. L. reminded me about the importance of relationships and how often we overlook that importance in the workplace. Somehow we think relationships are a soft subject that has no place at work. Work is about work, and anything personal should be left at the door.

So let’s talk about a hard subject. Maximum security prisons are all about hard time. For the last twenty years or more, I’ve carried with me the images from a TIME article about these prisons titled "Living on Death Row" (unfortunately, the images aren't available online). The photos from death row showed inmates holding mirrors outside the cells trying to connect with other inmates. Another photo showed inmates using hand signals to communicate with prisoners they couldn’t see. What struck me was the desperate need to connect with others.

Sunday on 60 Minutes, I saw a report on a "supermax" federal prison. It is the federal government’s prison for the most notorious and violent criminals. A former warden refers to it as “a clean version of hell.” The worst part of being incarcerated at a supermax is the limited contact prisoners have with other people. Visitation is highly restricted. They receive only one fifteen-minute phone call per month. Even letters are restricted to approved senders.

A former inmate described his incarceration at supermax like this: “The connection to the outside, the phone calls to the outside, are pretty much stopped.” When asked about the brutality of isolation he replied, “It breaks down the human spirit, the human psyche. It breaks your mind.”

It seems obvious that we are meant for relationship with others. It’s a deep need within us. Yet we leave the action of building healthy relationships to chance. There is a treatise that we can consult. It’s Matthew 5. The entire chapter is an illustration of how we should live out healthy relationships. Our emotional intelligence requires it. The idea of emotional intelligence originated in the work of Peter Salovey of Yale and John Mayer. Then Daniel Goleman summarized the idea for a general audience in his book Emotional Intelligence.

Let’s think more deeply about everyday relationships and how we should respond appropriately. Take a look at these articles about being transparent with your coworkers to understand what appropriate working relationships can look like.

On a related side note, L. L. deserves some congrats this week! Last night she finished the manuscript for her next book as she explains in this blog post to her editor at Intervarsity Press. I'm sure meeting that deadline will be good for that relationship.

Personal Business (Bible Reflection)

L. L. Barkat — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Is it okay to use business hours to email coworkers about personal things? I have a friend who's decided it is not okay. I don't know the details about the decision; maybe things were getting out of hand, and work was taking a back seat to what felt like play. But it makes me think about my new general practitioner.

Most doctors have you fill out a tedious form outlining your physical history. The nurse hands you the form. You dutifully fill it in and hand it back to her. The doctor reads it when you're not looking. But all he really knows about you is what's written on the form.

Recently, I went to a doctor who took a noticeably different approach. Before the physical exam, he sat with me for a long time, asking all sorts of questions I could have just as easily penned answers to on a form. Okay, the question about my hobbies probably wouldn't have been on the form; he was interested that I'm learning to play piano and cello. He took down the name of my book, and we had a very amusing conversation about one of the reasons I was privileged to write that book (I have 18 siblings—steps, halves, and otherwise—but that's a story in itself). We talked about the kinds of exercise I do. Oh, and that turned out to be unexpectedly important, as he had a theory that one exercise I'm doing might be aggravating my leg.

The book of Ezra reminds me of my friend's email decision, and it reminds me of my new doctor. Not long ago, I wrote in my journal, “Why is the book of Ezra in the Bible?” Usually when I ask myself a question, I try to be cordial and attempt to answer. In the case of Ezra, I decided that (issues of divine intent and inspiration aside) it's in the Bible because it's history—the personal history of Israel. At least three of the chapters out of 10 contain lists of names . . . of people who strayed, of people who agreed to make a journey home.

Ezra records that when the foundation of the temple was laid, “people could not distinguish the sound of the joyful shout from the sound of the people's weeping” (3:3). We hear not only about these emotions but also about fear, when “the people of the land discouraged the people of Judah, and made them afraid to build . . .” (4:4). Against the backdrop of all this history, we see business. Letters to and from the king and governor, exchange of goods like salt and silver, the appointment of magistrates and judges. And through it all, the hand of God quietly moving in halls of human power.

In its way, the book of Ezra is like my new doctor. Before talking salt and silver, it talks joy and tears, frailties and hopes. It weaves personal history with the execution of a major building project. Ezra suggests that maybe it's okay for my friend to talk about kids, music, or the latest cool fiction-read in a business email. Besides, “Researchers at IBM Research and MIT's Sloan School of Management [just] found that the average email contact was worth $948 in revenue.” (See Putting a Price on Social Connections.) Did those emails talk piano, cello, books, or 18 siblings? Maybe, maybe not. But my doctor, and the book of Ezra, suggest it might not have been such a bad idea.

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L. L. Barkat is the author of Stone Crossings. Her blog SeedlingsInStone.blogspot.com is a member site of HighCallingBlogs.com.

Who Is Going to Do the Work? (Wisdom from Howard E. Butt, Jr.)

Howard Butt, Jr. — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Andrew Carnegie was a fabulous little Scotsman. He started in poverty and built one of the world's greatest business empires. Once, someone asked him what he believed about the future of his businesses.

He said, "You can take from me all my plants. You can take from me all my money. You can take from me all my equipment. But if you leave me my men, I will build it all again." Carnegie's genius was that he knew an organization is not finances or techniques or equipment. It is human resources.

God's method is always a person. When God chose to speak to human history decisively, to get under the load of human weakness and sin, his method was a person, Jesus Christ, God in flesh and blood.

But the principle of incarnation was not just used during the lifetime of Jesus on earth. It is the principle by which the church operates today. The church is the body of Jesus Christ. God works through flesh and blood, men and women who are committed to his cause. This is the reason that the laity is called today to be God's people wherever they are, whatever they are doing.

One of the critics of Abraham Lincoln's administration of the Civil War once said, "Mr. Lincoln you must throw General McClellan overboard." Lincoln asked who he should put in General McClellan's place, and the critic said, "Anybody." Lincoln coolly replied, "Anybody will do for you. But I must have somebody."

Who is going to do the work of Jesus Christ in deed and in word? You might say that anybody can do it. No, my friend, God must have somebody.

And God intends that somebody be you and me.

The Power of Story (Ramblin' Dan)

Dan Roloff — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Here’s an idea. Have some fun looking at the people you work with on a daily basis and thinking about them in terms of common themes found in literature. View them from a story perspective. It’s a fun exercise that can provide fresh insights into your relationships with your coworkers. It may help you better understand them. It may help you better understand how you view others. Either way, it can improve the way you communicate with the people around you.

Start with these five common themes from literature: alienation, coming of age, justice, love, and death.

Alienation is being isolated or apart from the group. Do you work with someone who is alienated? Typical characters of alienation are Clint Eastwood in most of his westerns or in Dirty Harry as Harry Callahan, James Dean in Giant and Rebel Without a Cause, Denzel Washington in The Manchurian Candidate and American Gangster. In each of these examples from the movies, the characters are misunderstood outsiders who have decent hearts.

Coming of age stories such as Tom Sawyer, Harry Potter, and Jane Eyre are about young people growing up and coming to terms with adulthood. You can also think about the coming of age story as a loss of innocence when naïve outlook or idealism fall away. This is the case with Michael Corleone in The Godfather. Although Michael Corleone is an adult coming home from the war, he is still facing the cruel realities of his family for perhaps the first time.

Justice themes may include economic or social justice such as A Christmas Carol, Eight Men Out, The Invisible Man, or The Milagro Beanfield War. These stories contain deep moral principles and often have religious significance.

Love is an interesting theme because it is so multifaceted, even more than justice. There is romantic love like Romeo and Juliet; or family love such as Little Women, Great Expectations, and The Brothers Karamazov. Then there is brotherly love or friendship like Band of Brothers, Shawshank Redemption, and Of Mice and Men.

Journey is another theme with different variations. There are literal journeys like Around the World in Eighty Days or Journey to the Center of the Earth. Then there are journeys through time like The Time Machine or Back to the Future. Also there are journeys through life such as Long Day's Journey into Night. Often, stories with a strong journey theme will combine literal and metaphoric journeys. For example, The Grapes of Wrath combines a literal journey to California with emotional and spiritual journeys.

Everyone around us has a story. Telling the stories of the people we work with can help us develop a deeper understanding and appreciation for their lives. In the process, we may find that their lives have had a significant influence on our lives.

In my next post, I'll provide an example of this by telling you the story of Katie's journey.

Small Business and Social Media (Ramblin' Dan)

Dan Roloff — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 06:00:00 GMT

I came across an interesting article this morning and wanted to share it with you. "Small Businesses Get Social" outlines how small businesses are using social media. Most of what I’ve seen written concerns large corporations and how they’re incorporating social media into their marketing plans. Here’s an article referencing a study of more than 260,000 small businesses.

Professional social networking sites such as LinkedIn haven’t been a focus of this blog. I’ve written mostly about general social networking sites. Another area I’ve given almost no attention to is wikis. These are powerful tools with tremendous potential. And it’s not just about Wikipedia either.

Take an area of expertise that you or your company is engaged in and ask if there might be an advantage to be gained through opening a wiki? Can shared experience and expertise help grow your business? If you think it can then perhaps a wiki is for you. Here are a few links to wikis that may illustrate how you can use or build your own wiki. Gospel Translations, wikiHow, and Wikispaces are just three examples that might help you see the power of wikis.

Professional social networking provides contacts with business associates through user-defined criteria. Wikis help us to gain and share knowledge. Social media is an effective tool if managed properly and it's just in its infancy. The future will connect us in new and effective ways defined by our needs. It's worth developing a strategy to engage it effectively.

Locking Arms (Audio)

Howard E. Butt, Jr. — Sun, 10 May 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Auburn University football chaplain Chette Williams named his memoir Hard Fighting Soldier. In it, he describes the battle style of Roman soldiers. Their armor had hooks. In battle, the soldiers literally hooked themselves to one another. So each warrior fought for an entire line of warriors. A wounded soldier was pulled through by the fighters on either side. Inspired by this, the Auburn football team began to enter the field arm-in-arm.

This is Howard Butt, Jr., of Laity Lodge. In Christ, we also wear armor with hooks. In the spirit, we can attach to great strength on either side. Each time we enter the field, let us hold that mental picture of godly support . . . in the high calling of our daily work.

Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. (2 Tim. 2:3)

Building Community, A Lesson Learned (Ramblin' Dan)

Dan Roloff — Thu, 07 May 2009 06:00:00 GMT

In my second year out of college, I coached a junior varsity football team. They taught me quite a bit about community. One day, the captain of the team came to me with a list of players who had broken team rules. They had been drinking at a party. We had a zero-tolerance policy at the time, and every player was fully aware of the consequences. So we dismissed twelve players, including nine starters, from the team.

The next week of practice was a challenge. We plugged in new starters and tried to focus the attention of the remaining players. The varsity head coach came to me late in the week to talk about the upcoming game. He said, “Don’t get too down about this, Dan. Last year, as freshmen, our guys lost to this team 36-0.” That was a pep talk I didn’t need. But I knew he was just trying to prepare me for a difficult game and a difficult season.

During the game, the guys remained focused and kept the game close. We were losing 8-0 in the final minute when our opponent decided to take a safety and get a free kick from their twenty-yard line. That gave us two points. This really energized our team who proceeded to take the free kick and run it back deep into the opponent’s end of the field. On the final play of the game, we scored a touchdown! Although we missed the extra point, the game ended in a tie.

On the bus, I told the team I was glad we missed the extra point, and the game ended in a tie. “We can learn more from a tie than a win here. Everyone counted us out of this game. No one believed, except the guys on this bus. It may not be a win on the scoreboard, but you guys came together and overcame the odds to tie this game. You are winners.”

I didn’t have the understanding of community then that I have now, but that group of young men taught me about community. When I think back at their achievement, I shake my head at what that group did together. I’m thankful that I was part of it, and I learned that a group pulling together for one common goal can overcome obstacles to achieve great things.

For me, sports have always served as a point of reflection when thinking about community. Team sports provide plenty of examples, both healthy and unhealthy.

Unhealthy stuff causes division in community. Flaunting team rules; taunting teammates; being unfocused, undisciplined, and self-centered are unhealthy actions that cause fissures in the bond among teammates.

Healthy community stems from trust. Encouraging teammates, respecting the team, and being dependable are the disciplines of healthy community.

Jesus says, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another" (John 13:34). The epistles repeat this theme from Romans through the Second Letter of John. Follow this link to see a list of verses where this is repeated.

So as we build community, we look to love one another. That’s what healthy communities do.

NOTE: This post is part of the May WILF project . Robert Hruzek hosts the WILF (What I Learned From) writing challenge for bloggers each month. Many of the posts come from the High Calling Blogs Network where Robert is an active member. This month, Robert challenged us to write on what we learned from community.

Selling Your Ideas (Ramblin' Dan)

Dan Roloff — Mon, 04 May 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Our relationships at work are often equivalent to customer relations or a sales opportunity. Let me explain. First, we have a great idea at work. We know it makes perfect sense for the company. We’re convinced that everybody should embrace it enthusiastically. They should embrace the idea and run with it. Then nothing happens. Nobody runs with it. Maybe some people will acknowledge that it’s a good idea and if they had more time they’d consider it.

Discouragement can set in quickly. Why didn’t anybody follow through with this idea? It was obviously helpful and on target for the whole group but nobody did anything with it.

There is a simple reason why nobody embraced the idea. People look for what makes things easier for them, or makes them look better to others. My friend Steve says it, “How can we make them the hero?” Self-interest isn’t necessarily bad, even David asked about the reward before he fought Goliath.

So our task with coworkers is to find ways to make them heroes. We’ll sell them on our ideas by considering how it will benefit them. Ideas are great and very helpful, but putting others first is even greater. When we consider others first we accomplish many things. It’s good customer relations. We can sell our ideas easier. People realize we’re for them and not trying to make their lives more difficult. Our relationships are strengthened. It also is faith building. We put into practice what Jesus tells us about serving one another in love.

A Coworkers Gift (Ramblin' Dan)

Dan Roloff — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Right out of the blue, it caught me by surprise. One of my coworkers presented me with a gift. It all stemmed from a conversation a few of us were having in the office about Disney and our favorite characters. I remarked that Figment was my favorite, and I was disappointed that Figment was no longer available. A coworker said she had Figment at home in a closet. That was it. Except for the part where I always follow any mention of Figment by saying, “Every good idea starts with a figment of our imagination.”

After a couple of weeks, that conversation was long forgotten. So I was definitely surprised when Jessica showed up offering Figment as a gift. She obviously understood that this silly character meant something to me.

I remember vividly the ride at Epcot where the Dreamfinder introduced us to Figment. Creativity and imagination were high on my list as we prepared for a summer of fun at Laity Lodge Youth Camp. I purchased magnet clips with the image of Figment on them. These were for the leadership staff of the camps. These would serve as a reminder to be creative and allow our imaginations to create a memorable summer for each camper.

Figment should serve as a mascot for entrepreneurs reminding them of the small spark of creativity that launches each new endeavor. Or maybe teachers and youth workers should adopt Figment because of the creativity necessary to connect with children and engage them in their world. Scientists and artists could use Figment to stimulate their imaginations.

There was another reason Figment sticks so vividly in my mind. It was twenty-one years ago. I remember that exact time because it was three weeks before our daughter, Lindsey, was born. So thank you, Jessica, for the gift. And this kind gesture of a coworker carries with it much more than the giver ever imagined.

After Some Flailing (Ramblin' Dan)

Dan Roloff — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 06:00:00 GMT

It was quite a sight. I didn’t actually see it. So I have to imagine what it looked like. Here was this guy in the middle of the Guadalupe River with a board and a paddle flailing away trying to either get on the board or swim the board to shore. Neither option was going well. At least the guy was wearing a life vest, although it was bobbing up behind the guy’s head making this desperate swim scene even funnier.

In the middle of the struggle, a loudspeaker clicked on. It came from a bridge behind the swimmer. Then the voice of a police officer said, “Are you okay?” The loudspeaker reverberated down the river valley.

After some more flailing, the swimmer eventually turned toward the officer, waved and yelled, “I’m okay. Thank you.” Then he proceeded to swim in place for awhile before making actual progress to shore. All this flailing by the guy in the water was rather comical.

Wisely, the police officer stayed on the bridge to watch the swimmer maneuver to a small island and get back on his board. The officer continued to watch until the swimmer, now paddler, got his board safely to the main bank of the river.

The point of this post is to illustrate the high calling of a police officer. They’re sworn to serve and protect. This officer was doing his job quite well and illustrating how we should care for one another. It would’ve been easy for the officer to just drive off, especially when the guy in the water said he was okay.

Oh, one more thing. I didn’t really see this, because I was too busy flailing away in the water trying to get my board to shore. I wanted to thank the officer for his concern for my safety. I just hope he didn’t video it. I keep checking YouTube.

Professional Relationships (Ramblin' Dan)

Dan Roloff — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Relationships are at the heart of what we do in our organization. Whether it’s at Laity Lodge, Laity Lodge Youth Camp, Family Camp, or Free Camps, the experience is about relationships. This holds true in our offices, and it is what we try to convey through TheHighCalling.org. So when I took a day trip out of the office, I was a bit overwhelmed by the experience.

A group of former campers and staffers from Laity Lodge Youth Camp meet every Thursday in Austin for lunch. This close-knit group has sustained a bond that they created twenty years ago. It’s amazing. Their lives are very busy with work and family responsibilities, but they take time to connect with each other over lunch.

They also connect on Facebook where their group has three hundred seventy members. These members are scattered throughout the country now, but they know that they’re welcome anytime they’re in Austin on a Thursday afternoon. Lunch with friends is always an option. The group will embrace them warmly. When I went last week, the conversation flowed naturally like we were all still at camp and the lunch bell just rang.

What an amazing group of grounded people. Many of them have faced considerable adversity and risen above it. They are sustained by their faith in Christ. It’s a confident, humble faith. It’s not boisterous or anxious. Just being around these folks for a couple of hours renews my faith. They live the high calling of our daily work. I was deeply honored to be in their presence and to break bread with them. It was a sacramental moment.

Proverbs (Audio)

Howard E. Butt, Jr. — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 06:00:00 GMT

I love the book of Proverbs with its 31 chapters . . . perfect for reading a chapter a day, month after month, year after year. This mighty collection of small sayings never fails to yield rich wisdom—much of it about our workdays.

Just listen: A man of understanding holds his tongue. A gossip betrays a confidence. A trustworthy person keeps a secret.

This is Howard Butt, Jr., of Laity Lodge. Few things can take down an office, destroy a team, or erode a reputation like loose talk. When a coworker shows off . . . or someone flirts . . . or a manager hurts your feelings . . . just breathe deeply and hold your proverbial tongue . . . in the high calling of our daily work.

Transitioning Into a Ministry of Presence (Personal Reflection)

Becky Garrison — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Despite a divorce and a series of other setbacks, Rosalie Grafe was bursting with joy. We interact via Facebook, and I was struck by how her centered presence always seemed to calm me down. As someone who had just lost several close friends, I asked how she navigated through her transitions and ended up in such a positive place.

In the wake of her divorce and the sudden death of her 18-year-old granddaughter, Rosalie went on a pilgrimage to the monastery of the Community of Northumbria and the pilgrim path to St. Cuthbert’s Cave in northeast England. She had connected with the Community through reading Celtic Daily Prayer: Prayers and Readings from the Northumbria Community. During her week at Northumbria and with her stays at St. Aidan and St. Hild on Holy Island, the Convent of the Holy Paraclete in Whitby, and Bar Convent in York, Rosalie discovered a regular rhythm of life that helped her to focus her energies on where she should be heading next.

Upon returning to Portland, Oregon, she continued a virtual connection with the Community of Northumbria through their website. Also, she connected in real time as a Companion of the Celtic Community, Way of Columba at Saints Peter and Paul’s, a lay monastic community based in East Portland, Oregon. These two prayer groups provide the online and offline connections that keep her grounded.

Rosalie found herself reflecting on Ananais, who was plucked by God from his home to go and aid Saul (Acts 9:10-11, 17). The story kept speaking to her heart. Like Ananais, she realized she was not called to the solitary life of a hermit. After some prayer, she set up her home as a respite for fellow wandering pilgrims. She named this individual retreat house Quaker Abbey as a reminder of the still silence that she found during her work with the Friends Community. As arthritis and a shrinking retirement budget narrowed her ability to offer hospitality, she set up Quaker Abbey Press, which enables her to do very small print runs of books. This ministry allowed her to give a voice to those writers whose work she wants to illuminate.

Even though these home-based ministries occupied much of her time, she continued to feel a call to help others. But rather than wait for a church or nonprofit to give her something to do, she simply went where her heart told her she was needed.

An evangelical Friend (Quaker) since 1971, she returned to active membership with Portland’s Reedwood Friends Church. During her marriage to an Episcopalian, she had become an active chaperone and support to the youth minister at the Grafe family church in southeast Portland, a role she continues to this day. She watched as nine-year-old acolytes-in-training matured, joined the thriving youth group and then graduated as young adults. Of all that she had accomplished, she counts as most significant the humble service of being a female chaperone for the youth group at almost all the single, male youth minister’s events. She calls this being “a butt in a chair.” In the highly charged legal cases faced by a number of denominations, the role of the chaperone is vital. She continues with both churches and calls herself a "Quakepalian."

I began reflecting on how many Rosalies I’ve met in my life, who smiled at me when I thought I was going to crack up. How do we encourage and nurture these everyday saints who despite their bumps and bruises continue to shine forth proclaiming the love of Christ? Their stories give me hope that I can get through this difficult time with God’s help.

Rosalie illustrates how we need others around us to be our support system to help us navigate through our transitions. While I would prefer to connect with people face-to-face, Rosalie has taught me how one can maintain an online support system as well. So, even if we may feel isolated in our cubicle or home office, we have one more reminder that we are not truly alone.

Why Is It Social Media? (Ramblin' Dan)

Dan Roloff — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 06:00:00 GMT

The hottest topic on the Internet today is social media. Connecting with friends, family, colleagues, costumers, retailers, and on the list goes. It’s highly interactive involving all types of media such as photos, videos, written word, music, and games. This list isn’t all-inclusive, but it does serve to illustrate the breadth of media involved in social media.

There is an interesting race going on to see who can control the biggest piece of social media. Facebook appears to have a significant, if not the leading role, in this race. Twitter is coming up fast. Some people even see it as competition for Google. LinkedIn, Friend to Friend, MySpace are all there along with many others. The motivation for the race is riches and fame. The dominant players stand to make a fortune, whether they are organizations or individuals. Business users and others can’t afford to sit on the sidelines for too long to see what shakes out.

It's the wild, wild west on the Internet. All kinds of people are jumping in to use these services without any plan. Now it’s fine for individuals to stick their toes in to test the waters. But we’ve seen or heard some horror stories. Earlier adopters sometimes dive in and find that inappropriate posts have cost them their jobs.

So how does a person of faith respond to these challenges? With all the risks and the speed of change, it’s easy to strike out in the wrong direction.

The first step is simple. Pray. I'm not talking about praying one time and rushing off to social media glory. Whatever we're doing, we need regular, focused time to articulate our plans and concerns to God. Then we wait on God’s response. Listening to God requires discernment, the ability to choose faithfully among several options. We might call discernment the outcome of prayerful reflection.

No matter how much we pray, we are going to face the challenges inherent in the medium. It’s called social media. When people communicate with other people, they are being social. But there is a deeper implication than that. Social communication suggests relationship. Whenever we enter a relationship, no matter how shallow or brief, we’d be wise to remember to “serve one another in love.”

This is a critical imperative for Christians. Social media is a wide-open communications tool. How it is used now and in the future is yet to be determined. By being active, caring, and respectful, we can help shape the development of this new tool so that it is helpful and uplifting. It’s up to us.

White Christmas Tree (Audio)

Howard E. Butt, Jr. — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Madeline wanted something unusual. The four-year-old repeatedly asked for "a white Christmas tree." She’d say: why QUIZ-mee twee. "Maybe next Christmas," her parents said, "they’d see about a white Christmas tree."

For months, Madeline persisted. She wanted a why QUIZ-mee twee. And one day she dragged her dad to the pantry and pointed . . . to a Rice Krispie treat!

Ah, the good ol’ communication breakdown! The speaker believes she’s perfectly clear—but she’s fixated on her wants. The listener hears something else entirely.

This is Howard Butt, Jr., of Laity Lodge. Don’t assume you’re understood. We all must consider not just what we are saying, but what our listeners may be hearing . . . in the high calling of our daily work.

Think Outside the Wheelchair (Audio)

Howard E. Butt, Jr. — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 06:00:00 GMT

The University of Hawaii has a graduate assistant football coach who can’t move or speak on his own. Brian Kajiyama has cerebral palsy. He buzzes the field in a motorized wheelchair. He speaks with a computer-assisted device.

Brian joined the coaching staff after defensive line coach Jeff Reinebold took the time to get to know him. Brian is sharp about football. He inspires the team with a clear mind, hard work, and good humor.

This is Howard Butt, Jr., of Laity Lodge. Brian thinks outside his wheelchair. Coach Reinebold thinks beyond the obvious. And across the nation, children in wheelchairs think they can do more—because of the example of two good men—in the high calling of our daily work.

For as [a man] thinks in his heart, so is he. (Prov. 23:7, NKJV)

Champions Are Made in Practice (Audio)

Howard E. Butt, Jr. — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Nine-year-old Casey Stokes, like his namesake, loves baseball. Already it's taught him the rewards of hard work. Casey’s team was headed for the Little League World Series when his aunt asked him a question.

She said, “Casey, if you were building a team and you had to choose between a talented player who worked hard sometimes and an average player who always worked hard, who would you choose?”

Casey hardly paused. He said, “The average player—because champions are made in practice.”

This is Howard Butt, Jr., of Laity Lodge. This nine-year-old has already scored with an all-important life lesson: champions are made in practice . . . in the high calling of our daily work.

Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. (1 Cor. 9:25)

Be Authentic About Your Work (Bible Reflection)

Bradley Moore — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 06:00:00 GMT

One Sunday morning while attending a church in the suburbs of Boston, I had a surprisingly authentic moment with a complete stranger. It was that point early in the service when we turn to the person next to us, introduce ourselves, say hello, and try to be a little friendly.

So on this particular Sunday I turned to the woman sitting next to me, and I immediately recognized her. She was a local rock star in the Boston area. I had heard her on the radio a few times, and I told her that I knew of her music.

She thought that was cool.

”So how are you doing?” I asked kind of casually. We only had two minutes before the pastor would tell us to sit down, and I wasn’t trying to be nosy. But I’ll never forget her response.

Rather than glamorizing her life as a well-known, critically acclaimed musician, she looked me squarely in the eyes. “I’m a single mother trying to make a living as a musician,” she said.

We stood there in silence while the white noise of the congregation’s trite exchanges swirled around us like an audible blur. Then, she said, "Really, I’m just hanging on by the hem of His garment."

That sounded so beautiful and sad at the same time. I pictured this woman with her guitar strapped over her shoulder, one arm reaching up, hanging on for dear life to the hem of Jesus’ robe as he floats randomly through the sky, her other arm pulling along her little girl who is gripping Mom’s wrist with both hands, desperately hoping that she doesn’t slip off. I wanted to help her somehow.

Maybe she was thinking about the story of the woman in the gospel who was suffering from a bleeding condition for all those years. You can read it in Matthew 5. She pushed her way through a huge crowd to touch Jesus’ robe because she knew he could heal her.

Imagine this. Jesus is walking down the street, mobbed by people all around him, like chaotic paparazzi following his every move. This woman keeps pushing, persisting, getting bruised from being kicked and shoved as she presses through the crowd. Finally she gets close enough and desperately grabs out for him.

And then Jesus says, "Who touched me?"

The disciples are trying to be good bodyguards, and they say, "What are you talking about? Everyone touched you! You’re in a huge mosh pit of people trying to get a piece of you!"

But Jesus knew some kind of power went out of him. He stops walking. He turns around. Everyone stops. What is he doing? Something is going to happen. He sees the woman, focuses on her, and tells her she’s healed.

The woman sitting next to me in church that morning just wanted the same attention. She wanted to push through the crowds, the noise, the pressures, and have Jesus pick her out. She desperately wanted him to see her pain, to notice her cries, to stop the bleeding. She’s hanging on by the hem of his garment.

And it’s a beautiful way to describe the chaos, the pressures, the barely-making-ends-meet periods we all go through in life. We question how we got here, how it all ended up like this. We plead with Jesus to save us from these wretched conditions, and sometimes it seems like he is walking past us or floating away, randomly pushed along by the masses of needs in the world other than our own. But we reach out to grab him—and all we catch is the hem of his garment. We clutch on to it for dear life and won’t let go until he takes notice.

This woman’s act of transparency gave me permission to tell her that I was struggling too. We all are. I have grown to appreciate people who are not afraid to be raw and realistic about the challenges and disappointments they are experiencing. Their openness gives others permission to be real and transparent too.

I don’t know how else we can expect to develop true relationships.

Community (Ramblin' Dan)

Dan Roloff — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 06:00:00 GMT

I’m fortunate. I know it. Not everybody gets to gather with their entire office on a weekly basis for a devotion, discussion, and prayer. Because of the nature of our work, we come together in this way every Tuesday.

This past Tuesday, only a dozen people were present. That's just a third of our office staff. The devotion, led by Marcus, was on community. He began by asking us what the word "community" means. People replied, “Being in relationship, having a common purpose, listening to one another, and caring about each other.”

The smaller group was nice. It made it easier to share our thoughts more openly. Of course, it made me think about the wisdom of having a small group of twelve. Someone made the comment, “God made us for relationship with others.” True, but even Jesus had his core group in whom he confided.

Small groups of people share with one another. They reflect on what they believe. They encourage and challenge each other. They hold each other accountable.

There is a danger when small groups become insular and self-absorbed. Cults form and become destructive when they separate themselves from the world around them. Jesus was engaged in the culture. He went to feasts, weddings, and dinners with outsiders. “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s,” he said. That means we engage the culture, rather than run from it or isolate ourselves from it.

Healthy groups are not afraid to examine themselves in light of who they are. Questioning and even disagreeing are part of these healthy communities. Paul disagreed with the Jerusalem Council. He disagreed with Barnabas about John Mark. Yet through these disagreements, there came change and healing.

Community is when people come together and resolve their differences for the betterment of all parties. The best communities hold us, heal us, challenge us, and nurture us in a positive way. The best communities transform us.

Social Media 3 (Ramblin' Dan)

Dan Roloff — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 06:00:00 GMT

The language of social media is different. Posting, tweeting, RSS, avatars, widgets, and other new jargon words are emerging. Email is like some hero from the ancient past. Its archenemy, spam, has expanded into the social media scene. Once again, responsible people are creating spam unintentionally.

Unwittingly, in our attempts to connect, we forward all types of unwanted information to our friends and contacts. We are like awkward kids trying to draw attention to something but never knowing the coolest way to do it. Most of us have done something that felt like spam later. But repeat offenders grate on me. This form of unintended spam damages attempts at meaningful community building through social media.

Let's put a modern twist on an old axiom.

Twentieth century parents used to say, "If you don't have something good to say, then don't say anything at all."

Twenty-first century parents can say, "If you don't have anything new or useful to say, then don't post anything at all."

Too often, accidental spam is a result of clumsy and shameless self-promotion. People involved in social media need to be very careful. If every post is self-centered or self-promoting, then it really isn't social at all. Relationships are about mutual concern, not about finding the best way to use people for personal gain.

Social media should be what it says it is—social. That is, it should be about community and building relationships for the betterment of the community. Of course, there's nothing wrong with personal gain. We live in a nation built on it.

But social media is more about sharing than personal gain. And in our social media actions, we should be as concerned about others as we are concerned about ourselves.

When Doctors Are Stumped (Personal Reflection)

Steve McCoy — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 06:00:00 GMT

There are times when we struggle because our lifestyle has been inconvenienced, and there are times when things get so bad that we struggle to make it through the day. My family has experienced the latter throughout 2008.

In July of 2007, my wife had brain surgery for Chiari I Malformation, a congenital problem that hinders the flow of spinal fluid and therefore causes all sorts of physical problems including numbness in her limbs and balance problems, difficulty completing and verbalizing her thoughts, and bad headaches. The surgery was a success, and her symptoms were relieved. Unfortunately Molly's symptoms came back one year later, this July.

This summer, I watched my wife go from very healthy and active to riddled full-blown Chiari symptoms again. Her neurosurgeon confirmed that she needed another round of brain surgery this autumn. Several weeks after the operation, not only had her symptoms not been relieved, but she was worse. She spent nearly four weeks of recovery bedridden, and the doctors are stumped.

Despite all that's happening right now, God has blessed us in many ways. Our church family and friends in the community have done much more than we could dream. They even organized a benefit dinner to help us financially. The massive turnout and support has proved that my wife is beloved by many. As I write this a few days after the benefit dinner, I'm reflecting on what God has done in my life and relationships, and I am struck by a few professional relationships that have been a blessing.

Proverbs 17:17 says, "A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." In our adversity, I have discovered how much my "brothers" in Christ love me. Let me offer three examples.

I have wonderful young leaders and coworkers in my church. One of their families watched our kids while Molly was in surgery and recovery for a few days. When Molly's recovery wasn't going well, and they discovered my stress, another leader came to me and said, "If you need time off, don't worry about our church and Sundays. We'll make it work." These coworkers in the Gospel were willing, whatever the cost, to take care of our family and responsibilities.

Another example is my best friend, Joe, who is a pastor. He and his church have been praying for Molly and our family consistently for the past months. There is no question that their devotion to pray has been a part of our motivation to trust God in all circumstances. After we came home from the surgery, Joe brought three large coolers full of frozen meals prepared by his church. He is a great friend in adversity, indeed.

Let me throw out one last example, one that has surprised me. My blog is basically about my work, though it contains other elements as well. I try to point people to good resources for the benefit of the Church. Over the last several weeks, while I have blogged on my wife's condition, surgery, and recovery, I have received dozens and dozens of emails and online messages from people around the world offering words of encouragement, Scripture, prayers, and love. Some of these I will never meet in this life. While cultural critics debate the value of blogs, I have found a network of professional friends through mine that have supported us in prayer.

I thank God for these brothers "born for adversity." They have been God's words and works of great blessing to us in the most painful and frustrating time of our lives. May God receive the glory for what he has done.

Mark D. Roberts Video (Ramblin' Dan)

Dan Roloff — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 06:00:00 GMT

Click to see more TheHighCallingvideo.

Community and the Cubicle (Personal Reflection)

Jonathan Dodson — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 06:00:00 GMT

By 2000, forty million American white-collar employees were using the cubicle. What began as a customizable work environment eventually turned into an urban dungeon. Cutting us off from contact with the real world, the cubicle is scorned for suffocating productivity and community. Attempts to correct these individualistic work environments, such as co-working or collaborative workspace, have met with little to moderate success. Does work have to be so isolating?

In a thoughtful essay on tobacco production from Sex, Economy, Freedom, & Community, Wendell Berry lists the benefits of tobacco work. (The morality of tobacco work is another issue altogether.) Among them is the practice of “swapping work.” Tobacco, Berry points out, is a very “sociable crop,” one that calls upon the entire community for help in the setting, cutting, stripping, and harvesting of tobacco. He comments:

At these times, neighbors helped each other in order to bring together the many hands that lightened work. Thus, these times of hardest work were also times of big meals and much talk, storytelling and laughter.

I suppose that tobacco farmers could have insisted on doing the work alone, but it wouldn’t have been near as fun or efficient as swapping work. But there’s more merit to work swapping than efficiency. Berry’s reflections reverberate with community. Words like: neighbor, each other, together, many hands, big meals, storytelling, and laughter seem foreign to the professional workplace, even to contemporary expressions of church. Yet, many of these words and concepts occur frequently in New Testament descriptions of the Early Church.

For example, Acts consistently describes a church that experienced a steady state of Christian community, not just meeting one another on weekends. They devoted themselves to sharing meals, sharing needs, sharing possessions, and sharing a mission (Acts 2:42-47). This radical community was in response to the gospel of Christ, a community-cultivating message that enriched the surrounding social fabric of Jerusalem (Acts 4:32-37). The gospel promoted community in private and in public, through the ministry of reconciliation. They sought God-centered reconciliation (Acts 2,7,17), ethnic reconciliation between Jews and Gentiles (Acts 10,15), and social reconciliation of the poor, sick, and lame (Acts 3:1-10; 5:12-16). The gospel of reconciliation brought very different people together publicly and privately, renewing Jerusalem socially and spiritually.

What would it look like to extend the community-cultivating power of the gospel into our cities, into our workplaces, into our churches? How would the workplace change? In the city, when our workload increases, community often declines. We buckle into the cubicle for days, only to emerge a worn-out mess. Berry recounts an increase in community when hard work sets in—more laughter, more meals, and more hands. On the contrary, urban work deadlines often bring about despair, fewer meals, less sleep, and less time at home with the family. Far from enriching community, office work can isolate individuals from coworkers and families. Ironically, Tom Rath has demonstrated that community can increase productivity. In his book, Vital Friends, Rath points out that people with best friends at work are proven to be seven times more engaged in their job!

It would appear that the city has much to learn from the country. Although some vocations are not as sociable as others, the gospel compels us to work for community and reconciliation. To honor, serve, and love those that are different from us, even the employees that get on our nerves. What if you became an agent of reconciliation and community in your workplace? Company morale and output would likely increase, and so would the glory of God in your life. Perhaps some repentance from go-it-alone work is in order. The rural wisdom of “work swapping” could take us a long way in cultivating better work, better relationships, and better communities. Wouldn’t it be great if Christians led the way?

Twitter Is a Loose Form of Community (Ramblin' Dan)

Dan Roloff — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 06:00:00 GMT

I'm tweeting about life these days and finding it useful, informative, and fun. Actually I'm ranting about life in 140 characters or less. At least, that's what I promise in my Twitter profile.

Twitter is a useful tool to keep up with folks I work with. I can ask questions, pass along information, receive information, and just keep track of what folks are doing. With only 140 characters, messages are concise and to the point. For that reason, I like it more than email.

I got into this because of Marcus Goodyear and Steve Gibson. Steve likes to goad me into rants. Marcus encourages me to broaden my social-media experiences. So one day while the three of us were together and Steve was goading with hilarity, it hit me that I could do mini-rants on my unused Twitter account. Thanks also to Jacob Smith up in Gettysburg, PA, for encouragement and patience. Jake is an expert in Twitter.

That's how I started tweeting. It even helps me keep track of some of the High Calling Blogs. Not everybody tweets, but there is a growing number and a new form of loose community.

So let's follow each other on Twitter. Tweets run from the mundane to the exciting. It's all interesting, informative, and fun.

Following God in a Secular Workplace: Conform or Transform, Part 1 of 3 (Bible Reflection)

Matt Dickerson — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 06:00:00 GMT

There is a story I have told many times about four men, raised to serve God. At a young age, they are sent off to a secular university for an intensive three-year education: the equivalent of an accelerated Bachelor of Arts degree. They are educated in language, literature, history, culture, religion, and probably also in science and mathematics. In other words, they receive a typical liberal arts education. They do well in school, for they are intelligent, with an "aptitude for every kind of learning . . . quick to understand." They are also good athletes, "without any physical defect"—the types likely to earn varsity letters in two or three sports.

Intelligence and health, however, are not enough to make their lives easy, at least not if they are intent on following God. Their faith is tested in many ways during and after their education. But their faith remains intact, and they have a tremendous impact on the secular culture in which they find themselves. They don't just survive; they thrive. Through their bold and consistent witness, the name of God is proclaimed throughout the whole country. Theirs is an incredible true story of how followers of God in a secular culture, rather than being conformed to that culture, actually have a transforming impact.

The four men are named Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah—though the latter three are more often known as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. You can read their stories in the book of Daniel. The book provides a valuable model for Christian students heading off to a secular college and university. However, most of the book of Daniel takes place after the three-year stint at Babylon University, when the four young men have entered the working world as consultants working for the government. And so their story provides an even more important model for Christian men and women seeking to thrive in the secular workplace and to transform it.

In the first paragraph of the book, Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, plunders God's temple in Jerusalem and carries the plunder off to the treasure house of his own god. In this time and place, his actions conveyed a clear message: The god of Babylon is more powerful than the God of Israel.

So the first question for Daniel and his friends is whether they will continue to believe in the power of their own God, the God of Israel. It appears that their God couldn't even protect them in their own country, so how could he protect them in faraway Babylon?

Just a few verses later we learn that the King changes the names of the four men. In their culture, names were both meaningful and important. The name Daniel means "God is my judge." Hananiah means "Yahweh is gracious." Changing their names is a direct attack on their identity. The newly given name Shadrach means "the command of Aku." (Aku was the Babylonian god of moon.) Meshach means "who is what Aku is?" Abed-Nego means "a servant of Nebo." (Nebo was another Babylonian divinity).

Don't forget that they are being educated in Babylonian language and literature—with much of that Babylonian literature being mythic (or religious) literature that proclaims the Babylonian gods and their ways. In short then, not only is the faith of these four young men in God's power challenged, but their very identity as followers of God. Will they conform to the new Babylonian identity corresponding to their newly given names? Or will they continue to follow the true God as they were raised to do?

Zombie Goldfish and My Night in the Slammer (Personal Reflection)

John Hill — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Have you ever had a goldfish? A friend of mine told me a great story about his goldfish recently. His family built a pond in their front yard and placed numerous large goldfish in the pond to live. They fed the goldfish regularly and watched them grow. One winter day, it got really cold and the pond froze. The fish froze too. They were stuck in the middle of the ice, completely frozen fish. In a few days it warmed up, as it does in South Texas, and my friend and his family went to the pond to retrieve the dead goldfish. To their surprise, the goldfish were happily swimming around in the pond. They had been dead and were now alive.

Now I wasn't quite sure about this story, so in the name of theology, I bought a goldfish from the pet store and did a little experiment. Yes, I took the goldfish and put him in the freezer. Guess what? He froze! Not straight forward with his mouth wide open but upside down. I knew for sure he was a goner. I placed him on the kitchen counter in his frozen water cell to thaw. A few hours later, I went to check on my frozen fish in case some miracle happened. Much to my amazement, the goldfish's gills were beginning to move. Not long after, he was swimming around his bowl. A little slower than before, perhaps, but swimming!

So I named him Lazarus. He is still alive in a friend's pond to this day. He received a second chance.

We have also received a second chance. God has come among us in the person of Jesus Christ to give us a second chance. There are times in our lives that we feel frozen in our relationships. We may be the one to blame. Or we may share the blame with others. Our relationship may have been frozen for years or just a few days. However, the good news is that God is a God of second chances. He doesn't want us to be frozen, immobilized by shame or fear or pride or sin of any kind. God has forgiven you and me, and he deeply desires to show that forgiveness to others through our lives.

Sometimes God offers these second chances in the most unusual circumstances. Many years ago I worked for a camp in East Texas. I was coming home from Dallas late one evening, and the headlight of my car went out. A policeman pulled me over about a mile from my house. I apologized for my headlight being out and described the situation. He took my driver's license and checked my record just in case. When he came back to the car, he asked me to get out of the car and put my hands against the car. He proceeded to handcuff me and read me my rights.

I kept saying, “It was just a headlight!”

He told me there was a warrant out for my arrest.

At the county jail, I got my one phone call. I called my dad, who is a lawyer, and he hung up on me because he thought it was a crank call. He finally answered but couldn't do anything until the next morning.

They fingerprinted me and gave me a beautiful orange uniform with flip flops. They took me down to a cell and locked me in with five other guys. Four people were laying on the two bunk beds, and one lay on a table.

I thought, “God, what am I doing here?”

Then a young man leaned over from the top bunk and said, “John Hill, is that you?” One of the other prisoners actually knew me. I wasn't sure if that was good or bad.

It turned out that the young man worked at the same camp I did, facilitating the water slide for guests. We talked that night about why he was there. His mother didn't care about him. He had been breaking into houses with his friends until they were finally caught and thrown in jail. He was going in front of the judge with no one to represent him.

When I was released from jail the next morning, I talked with the Executive Director of Camp. He went with this young man in front of the judge and was able to get him into a Christian home for at-risk kids. The young man finished his diploma and got a job. He got a second chance.

I found out later how I ended up in jail. A few years before, I had written a check to 7-Eleven for ten dollars. When I graduated, I closed my bank account and moved out of state—before the check cleared. There was a warrant out for my arrest for a ten dollar check to 7-Eleven. This is how God got me to jail, but that's not the reason I was there. God worked through me to help a young man in need of grace. Just like he worked through the Executive Director and the judge and the home for at-risk kids.

God is a God of second chances—no matter what you and I have done or will do. Whether your life feels frozen or you're in a holding pattern or a holding cell, he will go to great lengths to provide a place for you to be forgiven. When you and I receive this grace, we must pass it on to others so that they, too, may feel the warmth of God's forgiveness in their sometimes frozen lives.

Year End Review (Ramblin' Dan)

Dan Roloff — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 06:00:00 GMT

We've begun our year-end review of TheHighCalling.org with "Staff Picks." The audio message Hair Dryers and Eternal Significance gets to the heart of what we mean when we say, "It's the high calling of our daily work."

Gary understands that God's method isn't all about doing "religious" work. We can glorify God in all that we do if we're intentional about it. The key is to find ways to redeem our work.

Also, check out the new video from the Laity Lodge channel at YouTube. The Most Important Ingredient is a video Marcus Goodyear put together to help illustrate an audio message by Howard Butt.

Online Relationship or Community (Ramblin' Dan)

Dan Roloff — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 06:00:00 GMT

While sitting in a meeting about social media, a colleague questioned whether we could actually form relations through online connections. Then she questioned whether or not it was a good thing to even try. Can online communities form real, meaningful relationships?

With the explosion of interest in social media on the web comes considerable debate.

Community is a word we use a lot in describing how we live together or take action together, particularly in the church. Commonly we mean fellowship, but the root of the word community comes from the Latin root communis; literally, common tasks. We work together to establish a life in common. This is a life of shared tasks, which may include shared responsibility, shared understanding, shared failure, shared beliefs, etc.

Relationship is a more modern word. It’s a word we use to describe connectivity. It’s the connection between people, for example. We use it when we want to be more specific than community or fellowship. We use “relationship” to indicate a deeper connection between people.

When we speak of our relationship with Christ, what are we really saying? There is a deep connection between the Son of God and us. We work to form a deeper connection. We talk to him, seek his guidance, ask for him to intercede on our behalf, and seek to communicate in deeply personal ways.

If we can communicate intimately in a transcendent way, then connecting through technology is not such a stretch. What matters most is what is at the heart of our attempts at building community or forming individual relationships. More on this in my next post.

An Interview with Lauren Winner (Interview)

Marcus Goodyear — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 06:00:00 GMT

During a summer retreat at Laity Lodge in 2008, Lauren Winner sat down with one of our editors from TheHighCalling.org, Marcus Goodyear, for a conversation about spiritual practices and holistic living—and the challenges of living out spiritual practices in a secular world.

Lauren F. Winner is the author of three books, Girl Meets God, Mudhouse Sabbath, and Real Sex: The Naked Truth about Chastity. You can read more about her at her website.

What do we learn about God from living out a spiritual practice in the workplace?

In the workplace perhaps more obviously than in other spheres of life, we have a clearer picture of who is Caesar and who is God.

We always have to think about how we can glorify God through something other than full-time ministry. Often, pastors don't talk about this much because, in their own lives, they do not have to think much about how to connect ostensibly secular work to the service of God.

They don't?

Well, pastors are not in the position of devoting 40-60 hours a week to secular work. So the situations they deal with are different. It's not their daily question to figure out how to live out their spiritual practice in the workplace.

How do you live out spiritual practices?

My job presents an idol to me. That has been my struggle with teaching in the university—my spiritual struggle. Work is an opportunity for me to have things totally out of balance. Workaholism is something I'm prone to.

So it is an ongoing effort for me to keep work in perspective. I have a job that I love every iota of. And because I teach in seminary—it is Christian service. So I can cloak my workaholism in a lot of pious-sounding tropes.

But I also work in the context of a research institution. So the university can be productivity- and goal-oriented in ways that are sometimes not consistent with discipleship. It is a constant struggle for me to remember that those are my pitfalls. And the only way to successfully ward them off is to have other people help me see them. They'll say to me, "This seems like something is out of balance." Or maybe they just ask questions.

What does it look like to have people hold you accountable?

I don't use the word "accountable." I think we ought to table that word for 50 years.

All right. What does it mean to let other people help you remember your pitfalls, then?

Here's an example for me. We have corporate worship every day. We're a divinity school. But you're not required to go. I could go to work all year and never attend the worship. But I have committed to going. If I went to all of them, I'd spend 6 hours per week in corporate worship. But when I come up for tenure, the university tenure board isn't going to take that into consideration.Going to the worship service is not a system of being held accountable. It is a way for me to join the community. If I didn't show up for several weeks, people might ask me how I'm doing.

How do you avoid spiritual disciplines from turning into legalism?

I don't think there's anything wrong with establishing a discipline and committing to it. If someone wants to tar my disciplines as legalism, then I just disagree with them.

Sure, but legalism is a problem for some people. How can we guard against it—and make room for grace?

The problem comes when there is no flexibility. Going back to the corporate worship, sometimes I need to be flexible enough to know that something else has come up that is more important. For me, my besetting sin of workaholism is not going to lead me to be inflexible. Instead, I may use legalism as an excuse to be a workaholic.

I have workaholism and sloth in tandem. They are not contradictory! I'm very undisciplined in my work habits. When you have the marriage of sloth and work—it results in me very rarely having a rhythm in my life where I'm relaxing. I'm either slothfully avoiding work—or I'm frantically trying to get the work done. And slothful avoidance isn't really relaxing.

Can you take the Sabbath into your work at all?

If you mean, "Can you work seven days a week and pretend to take a Sabbath?" No. People have all sorts of creative ways of adapting the Sabbath. And some of them can work. But if we're not careful, pretty soon we get away from the idea of the Sabbath completely.

I've heard people say I practice an hour of Sabbath every other day. But that's not Sabbath. You can't practice Sabbath in an hour. And the very mindset that causes you to want to do that is opposed to the mindset of what the Sabbath is about.

Let's define our cultural problem. We emphasize productivity and profit. So telling people to be integrating and thinking about work all the time sounds like all we are here to do is work. It's pretty clear from Genesis and Exodus 31 that we're not supposed to think about work all the time.

What is the relationship between work and rest?

God rests, and God—through commanding the Sabbath—invites us into his rest. It's not more sophisticated than that. Part of what we are created to do is rest with God. That's the difference between Sabbath and a bubble bath. Are we just resting? Or are we resting with God. The Sabbath is not principally about me getting relaxed.

Getting relaxed is good. You might get relaxed on the Sabbath, but that's not the point of it.

You wrote a book called Real Sex. What advice do you have for Christians facing sexual temptation in the workplace?

In certain Christian circles—sexual temptation often gets used as an excuse not to have meaningful professional relationships with the opposite sex. If the men won't have lunch with women, that promotes an old boy's network that is really bad for women in the workplace.

Interesting answer. Not at all what I was expecting. That doesn't mean we should be blasé or ig

What Good Are Our Differences? (Personal Reflection)

Leigh McLeroy — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 06:00:00 GMT

In an earlier chapter of my work life, I served as director of web marketing for a large hospital. It was a vibrant place with a compelling mission: to make sick children well.

During the interview, one director asked a question that seemed particularly odd: "Are you proficient in the software we use to create individual web pages?"

I told her I was not. There were four employees already on the web team who knew the program. It was my job to lead them. The skills I brought to the table were strategic. My challenge would be to determine what we should offer on our site and what elements would make for an excellent user experience. Not to build and post pages. That skill was already covered.

This particular director seemed shocked—both that I didn't routinely use the software and that I would admit as much. Her question should have told me more than it did at the time. The department I eventually became a part of was divisive and territorial. There was precious little collaboration, and even less collegiality. Turf was staked out and fiercely defended. The gifts of individual team members were rarely acknowledged, much less appreciated.

Later in the same job, I took the initiative to make some simple revisions to a piece of marketing collateral for a hospital department I served. The internal marketing group quickly reprimanded me

"That's not a web project," they said. "You should have referred the physicians to us."

One colleague thought I should be able to do other people's jobs. Others thought I had infringed on their area of responsibility. I couldn't seem to get it right.

In fact, I was never in sync with my colleagues there. The invisible boundaries confused me, and there seemed to be land mines everywhere. We had a group of people with tremendous and diverse gifts, but we never quite learned how to appreciate and complement one another. We never leveraged our diversity for the institution's good.

And my own attitude became part of the problem. The person with precise attention to detail I labeled as the "nitpicker." The person with a great eye for aesthetic harmony I wrote off as the "diva." The most dependable, consistent person I counted as "unimaginative." You get the picture. I adopted the same divisive attitudes I had self-righteously rejected.

Now, I make my living as a consultant—and assemble creative teams to tackle various assignments on behalf of my clients. I choose team members for their differences, and our team's strength on any one task almost always stems from diversity and unselfish collaboration.

The apostle Paul clearly recognized the beauty (and necessity!) of our differences when he described believers as the body of Christ—a harmonious, organic interweaving of form and function: "There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body."

I may be a slow learner, but the lesson is clear: Embrace the differences. Real teamwork happens when the whole is a joyful, exponential reflection of the sum of its diverse parts.