Our motive for working
Our attitude toward our work should not be conditioned mainly, much less, solely, by the fact we like a particular kind of work or that we have the proper aptitude toward it, the relevant qualities and skills for it. While these factors count, they should not be made as the main principle. Such attitude can only confine us to our own interest.
What should guide is what God and the others want and need from us, and how they want to be served. This attitude should determine the kind of work we do and the way we do it, and would bring us to confront the objective needs of the common good.
To be conditioned mainly by personal motives, in the end, only shows selfishness, pride and even vanity, with their usual cohorts like greed, envy, etc. It restricts us to a subjective tack to our professional life.
Whatever service we give to others becomes a function of one's own interest, not the common good. It may give us some perks, but to be sure, everything will end up badly especially insofar as our eternal status is concerned.
When our attitude toward work is a function of what God and others need from us, then we enter into the true dynamics of love and self-giving. We would be working for God's glory and for the common good. We put into practice what Christ himself did: "For the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Mk 10,45)
With this attitude, we would be willing to be available to anything, even in tasks that we seem not to be prepared for. We would be willing to change jobs if necessary. We don't get too attached to a specific kind of work. We would become versatile and flexible, ready to work irrespective of whether it is big or small, intellectual or menial, etc.
If we have faith in God's providence, we would have no doubt as to the effectiveness of such attitude and motive. In fact, we would be exposed to areas and things that we may not be familiar with and yet are good for us as well as for everybody else. In the end, we would be working with God, and not just with our own selves. Our work becomes a means of our own sanctification.
Yes, some suffering may be involved. But that's just fine.
We would be living out what Christ himself said: "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." (Mt 16,24) Such suffering would always do us good, since it will purify us, strengthen and mature us.
We need to examine our motives for work frequently. Human as we are, subject always to weaknesses, temptations and sin, our motives can easily be diluted with egoism and self-seeking. It would be good that from time to time, we pause and take stock of our intentions for working.
We need to sharpen our skill in discerning God's concrete will for us in any given moment and in monitoring the changing needs of others we are supposed to serve. Obviously, there are stable and even permanent elements in this concern, but there definitely are those that change and we should try our best to be prompt in adapting to the changes.
For this, we need to have moments of prayer, reflection, study and consultation. We have to be wary of our tendency to fall into routine and complacency that would precisely desensitize us from God's will and the needs of others while giving us the sensation that we are doing fine.
It's always important that we develop a kind of interdisciplinary approach in viewing things in general, even as we give focus on our particular field of interest and expertise. In this regard, we have to realize the need for continuing formation and education, going through as many retraining programs as needed.
Also important is to cultivate a good sense of teamwork and solidarity, acknowledging the proper hierarchy of things and persons and the proper place or role one occupies in any given set-up.
Both leaders and followers, superiors and workers should develop a good working relationship with the appropriate communication channels in place. The leaders and superiors should carry out their delicate responsibility of leading in earnest, while the followers and workers should learn to be obedient and docile without undermining their duty to also take initiatives where they are needed.
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