The other day I heard a quote that stuck out to me. The quote is from the Buddhist culture, so I hope everyone can look past the origin and see the truth. Bits of truth come from all walks of life; we must look beyond the errors of thinking and apply what is relevant to us. Enough dancing…
“Before enlightenment you chop wood and carry water, after enlightenment you chop wood and carry water.”
I often find myself “above” certain tasks. I am a paid musician, why should I have to move tables and chairs and do all the other tasks that I find so mundane? Once we achieve a certain level in society or a certain education, why should we reduce ourselves to such lowly undertakings?
I remember when my wife and I first moved to Nashville almost two years ago. She quickly found a job as a hair stylist at a nearby salon, but my job search was much harder. I couldn’t start a job in my field of study because it would require dedication and time that I couldn’t commit (since I was pursuing a career as an artist). My search for employment was left to everyday jobs at the mall or at the nearby restaurants.
I was actually turned down at Best Buy and Home Depot wouldn’t allow me any flexibility. After the two strikeouts, I was depressed. It was disheartening to think that I couldn’t find a decent job after I had spent four years getting a college degree…I was a grown, jobless man. After six weeks without a job, I finally found employment at a nearby restaurant.
I was more than happy to be working, but it often tested my pride. I found myself serving many different artists in the Christian industry, making sure they had enough Diet Coke. Yeah, Mr. Big Shot moved to Nashville to be a musician and he’s taking orders and filling drinks. Every night was capped off by the humbling clean up duties. We had to clean the carpet under our tables and since we didn’t have a small vacuum cleaner, we had to get on our hands and knees to wipe the debris out from under each table.
What does it matter what we do with our career? The important thing is that we further God’s kingdom and make a difference. We are forced to work because of “the fall,” so it’s not always going to be fun. Sure, we should find a career we enjoy, but we also need to find contentment and joy even when we are forced to do those seemingly self-deprecating endeavors. We should find ways to encourage and inspire those around us, whether it’s from the stage during a concert or while cleaning under the tables at a restaurant.
“Don’t you know who I am?”
Jacob