I am assuming that most people that read this have or will have a job that they dont like, coworkers who because of their laziness have upset us, or circumstances in general that have caused them to have a poor attitude towards others. If you are not one of those people, then you can skip this, and go examine your life one more time!!! ;0)
As I wrote about in april, I took on a second job. Although the little extra cash it provides is nice, the money is not the main reason I took this job. Really, though, that is not the point. The realization I have come to in the past few weeks is this.
I and people in general let circumstances dictate how we respond. Respond to people, respond internally, respond in general. I have realized that I have once again let circumstances dictate how I feel in any given day, especially when concerned with my second job. Seeing people not give 100% when I felt like I was giving everything I had made me upset. Seeing coworkers not take pride in what they did upset me. It seemed like I had a really poor attitude, and I made sure that those around me knew exactly how I felt.
Then an interesting thought popped into my mind... If I am doing work for myself, of course I am going to feel wronged by everybody. But if instead I choose to do whatever I do for the Lord, then those things dont matter anymore. If indeed you are giving everything you have in work and life to God, then there is nothing that you can take offense too!! Its not yours to be upset when others dont take pride in what they do or leave you with the short end of the stick.
Ultimately it changes your perception on things, this is what some like to call a "paradigm shift" It involves basing your reaction to the things that happen to you around what you value rather than let your circumstance dictate those values to you...
The second portion of the whole lesson I learned was humility... I found that I am not too good for taking out cardboard or trash, it doesnt matter if I at my normal job I am making 3 times as much money as most of my coworkers at my 2nd job. That doesnt put me above them... I also had to deal with the fact that not everyone knew that I was just working a second job. so those people that see me stocking books may think that is all I do for a living. Is that really so bad?? most people would consider themselves a failure if they had to take a job stocking books on shelves endlessly, every day, all day. Then ask yourself, whos eyes are you looking through... I thought about if this wasnt a second job and I had to depend on the money to support my family, would that be "failure"?? Nope, cuz whatever I do, I am gonna do it for Christ....

And that makes all the difference.......

Shon, Out...