Work.

Our pastor gave a really wonderful sermon today on the value and meaning of work, which is something that seems like it has been a theme for us this year. Paul has faced a lot of challenges with work this year, and during the summer when I was in a bit of a slump, I was desperately trying to find meaning in everything that I do. It all led me to read Tim Keller's book, Every Good Endeavor. I highly, highly recommend it and I'm not even halfway through. It's taken me awhile and I feel like I need to digest every chapter for awhile. But a lot of it has stuck in my mind and heart.

Here are a couple of the points I've thought a lot about this year:

1. Jesus followers should be the best workers. We do all things to honor and bring glory to our Father; this includes the mundane, menial, and tedious things that all jobs inherently have in them somewhere. But it doesn't matter how simple or important the task - working for work's sake is highly honorable, and does not go unseen. Therefore, we should care about our work and do it to the best of our ability, with integrity and honesty.

2. Our work is going to be flawed. It is going to involve conversations that go nowhere, projects that fail, companies that go bankrupt. In our own imperfections, there are inevitably some elements of our work that are unproductive. Keller brings up this wonderful story about a character named Niggle from a short story by C.S. Lewis. This story gave me a fresh perspective on the creation and meaning of art, and of work in general. We are not always highly effective people creatively either, but it's ok. We are redeemed, and that's what matters.

This morning, Pastor Jeremy added the following wisdom. The pursuit of art is a highly honorable and wonderful calling. David was a musician and a poet; Daniel was skilled in literature. Jesus was a carpenter. The pursuit of art is highly honorable; the pursuit of fame is not. I think you'd only have to qualify this speaking to a congregation in the middle of Hollywood in 2016. I am sure this resonated with a lot of folks sitting around me. I realized that I often confuse the pursuit of artistic quality and the pursuit of fame, which is based on ego and pride, not the desire for excellence. (Not that a classical guitarist could really be "famous." But in my small corner of the world, fame is probably defined more as having a good reputation and connections - two things I probably do covet for my own success.)

Some food for thought as I try and discern what is happening in both our work lives lately.