I'm Not Supposed to Work

So I sat down at the computer and I could swear I had some sort of thing to blog about. Time rolled by and I couldn't remember what it was so I checked my email a few more times. I just now remembered what I was going to blog about so I figured I'd let you in on it.

I was at work today and my friend Matt was flipping steaks and he laughed out of nowhere. He could hardly hold back the laughter when he told me what was amusing him. Apparently the chef that I really like is not-so-popular around the kitchen. Who knew, right? Anyhow, there was apparently a meeting amongst the brain-trust of the restaurant (a meeting to which, conspicuously enough, I was not invited to). Our senior cook, who has been at the restaurant for over a decade, reported his troubles.

Cook: Our chef doesn't do any work.

Guy-In-Charge-of-the-Meeting: Excuse me, didn't catch that.

Cook: Our chef doesn't do any work, as in, he doesn't help out when there are things to be done, he is not interested in helping anyone.

GICOTM: Oh, he is not supposed to work.

If only we all could take this approach to work, wouldn't life be a whole lot simpler? Now, in all fairness, the guy in charge of the meeting really meant to say that our head chef's job is not to be constantly doing the work of a line-cook. Agreed. In the words of an old baseball coach I had, there are chiefs and indians. A chef is a chief (wow, that looks really cheesy, doesn't it?). A cook is an indian. Fair enough.

On the other hand, can you believe that these words actually came out of someone in charge's mouth? What? You don't think the guy getting paid a salary is there to work? The guy getting an hourly wage (albeit a handsome one) is expected to work but not him? Wow, I guess that explains why nearly everyone hired in the past year has turned out to be a lack-luster worker. When the guys hiring you aren't expected to help out around the place why would you be inspired to do the same? In the words of Rocky Balboa, it's simple mathematics.

The old adage that a good leader leads by example would be a good one for these guys to hear again. Leadership is interesting in that sense. I may have the absolute best ideas anyone has ever thought of but if I am not interested in actually doing them, who in their right mind would want to follow me?

Interestingly enough, this is what separates faith in Jesus from faith in any religious system. I am saying I follow a God-man who was tempted in every way I am and yet was without sin. I am saying I follow a Man who not only thought grace was a good concept but loved the doctors, lawyers, bankers, used-car-salesmen, IRS agents, strippers, prostitutes and blue collar workers of his day.

The way of Jesus is so completely different than even the best way we could devise. I want to follow and love a God who is not only a chief but so much more, became an indian and lived among his creation. I want to be caught up in the life of the one who said, after the creation had turned on him: "Father, forgive them, they know not what they do."

As Divine Creator, Jesus had no compelling reason to work other than love. He loves us and that is a good enough reason to come down and live our life and die our death. And it gets better, he now lives a life that he invites us to live in.

Our bosses may not think they are there to help but its good news to know that our God is here to do exactly that.