Monday's thoughts

"It's All in a Day's Work"

The sermon for Sunday, August 31st will have us take a look at the work we do and why we do it. There is a Sufi poet Rumi who makes he connection between work and nothingness as he points out hat the worker seeks out what needs to be working; we work at what needs work.

He writes:
"I've said before that every craftsman searches for what's not there to practice his craft.
A builder looks for the rotten hole where the roof caved in.
A water-carrier picks up the empty pot.
A carpenter stops at the house with no door.

Workers rush toward some hint of emptiness which they then start to fill. Their hope, though, is for emptiness, so don't think you must avoid it. It contains what you need.

Dear soul, if you were not friends with the vast nothing inside, why would you always be casting your net into it, and waiting so patiently?

This invisible ocean has given you such abundance, but still you call it, 'death,' that which provides you sustenance and work."

Work is what draws from us our need to confront the nothingness. It is not about the compensation or the appreciation for a job well done. It's deeper than that. It has to do with who we are and why we have been put here on his earth.

What is your work and how is it different from your job? What do you and I really do for a living? How does our work make, for us, a life?

I am interested to know what you do and why you do it. I would appreciate your insights on this. Write me at charlesschuster@fcfumc.net. If you are willing to have others read your thoughts click on the box below.

I look forward to hearing from you.


Charles Schuster