3 things about good colleagues

Wikipedia: "Colleagues are those explicitly united in a common purpose and respecting each other's abilities to work toward that purpose. ... Thus, the word collegiality can connote respect for another's commitment to the common purpose and ability to work toward it."

We had dear colleagues and friends over tonight, sharing food, laughter, and stories of life and work. It doesn't get much better than this: a common calling, a shared profession, and a similar gifting. We were reminded of 3 things about colleagues:

1. Good workmates share the load. We're willing to pitch in, whether we're strategizing, working, or praying together. We're not afraid to be on the same team with the same goals.

2. Good workmates create a learning environment where skills can improve, resources are shared, and information is golden ... for everyone. We respect personhood and individuality, as well as the outcome of our work.

3.  Good workmates who become friends let their lives overlap. We applaud each other's achievements, grieve over each others difficulties, and boost each other to be "the best we can be." There's no rivalry; instead, we are glad when others succeed. We are proud of their advancement. And we hurt when others hurt.

W and I are grateful for the university and other work settings. Truly, we esteem our colleagues. We are thankful for the honor of sharing a united purpose and working hard together.


Read more:
*The word is very near to you; it is in your mouth and in your heart for you to observe. Deuteronomy 30:14 ESV

*The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior--from violent people you save me. I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and have been saved from my enemies. 2 Samuel 22:2-4 ESV

*Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and prosper for us the work of our hands—O prosper the work of our hands! Psalm 90:17 ESV

*Jesus said, "Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock." Matthew 7:24 ESV

*In Joppa there was a disciple whose name was Tabitha. She was devoted to good works and acts of charity. Acts 9:36 ESV

*But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. Acts 20:24 ESV

Moravian Prayer: Holy God, help us to build our faith upon rock. We ask you, Lord, that with our faith on solid ground the words in our mouths may speak directly from our hearts.

Gracious Lord, thank you for the hands with which we work and the feet with which we walk. May we use the gifts that you have given us to bless our neighbors. Amen.

C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity: I find I must borrow yet another parable from George MacDonald. Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on: you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently he starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of—throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were going to be made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.

The command "Be ye perfect" is not idealistic gas. Nor is it a command to do the impossible. He is going to make us into creatures that can obey that command. He said (in the Bible) that we were ‘gods’ and He is going to make good His words. If we let Him—for we can prevent Him, if we choose—He will make the feeblest and filthiest of us into a god or goddess, a dazzling, radiant, immortal creature, pulsating all through with such energy and joy and wisdom and love as we cannot now imagine, a bright stainless mirror which reflects back to God perfectly (though, of course, on a smaller scale) His own boundless power and delight and goodness. The process will be long and in parts very painful, but that is what we are in for. Nothing less. He meant what He said.