Work. Why? (3)

In the play Amadeus, the composer Salieri dreams of becoming a famous musician. He's a talented guy but when he sees Mozart making the kind of incredible music he's always longed to, he cracks. He rages at God, calling him unfair for making Mozart better at music. And he dedicates himself to destroying Mozart. This shows us what Salieri's career in music was really about... himself. Salieri had built his career on the longing to be famous and admired. When someone better came along, that foundation fell to bits. And so did he.

The same thing could happen to us if we build our careers on the desire to be a Big Name. We'll always meet someone who is (or seems to be) doing it better, and then we'll fall apart.

We've seen in the last two days that God gave us work to do for the joy of serving him and others, and the joy of a job well done - things that save us from Salieri-style self-serving. Tim Keller points out that people can often choose jobs that serve their self-image, not work that fits their abilities and talents. Here's a better foundation: we help God to keep on building up the world, for his good and for others, as we find out how our talents make the world flourish.



So what now? Thinking about your abilities and talents, your passions and the needs you see in the world, look for an overlap. Ask God to show you what unique work there is for you in that overlap.





— SCRIPTURE —

'Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labour in vain.' Psalm 127:1 NIV
— SOULFOOD —

Matt 5:7, Ps 103:8-18, 1 Pet 1:3