The call was not mine. I was merely a person that happened to be in the room when it occurred. The brief telephone conversation contained a story. A recruitment process was underway. There were several candidates. The call was about the interest of an individual in being part of the interview process. While interested, the potential participant also had someone they wanted to add to the candidate pool. It was an interesting negotiation, as much for the perspective of the two participants as the insight into the candidates for the role.
I found myself questioning the perspective of both. Did either party have any details about the role itself? Did they understand the details of the role they were recruiting for? How did they see themselves in context?
Without criticism of the two involved, I wondered how these questions played out in the decisions in my life. How much detail do I have? Is there more that I could discover or am I waiting for information that will never come? Do I see the details in context of the bigger picture? Most importantly, where am I in this picture?
It is the last question that causes me to pause. Even if I get everything else right, how I see myself changes everything. In contrast to the conversation I listened to, Paul had a very different view of his role. “Planting and watering are menial servant jobs at minimum wages.” (1 Corinthians 3.8)
Every individual has a role to play. While the world may compensate the roles differently, in the greater scheme of things each is as important as the other. Life reminds us that they have context (importance) in context to the difference we make to the world around us.
Today marks a fresh chapter. There are new windows that have yet to be explored. We have freedom within us to make a difference. We can choose to see beyond the obstacles and into the possibilities. Hope offers us energy. We can do more that we imagine. Yesterday’s ignorance does not need to dictate today’s opportunity.
