I would like to think I control everything in my life. My word is the final one within the family. People who work with and for me explicitly understood and followed my work directives. Work that I leave with others, cars to be serviced, items to be processed or mailed, or homework to be completed, is done right, on time, and with no perceptible imperfections.
I act and behave as if I want to be my own god. I want control. I want people to respond to me with respect, awe, and at times fear. I keep forgetting that “none of us are permitted to have our own way in these matters.” (Romans 14.7)
In so many ways, the scene I describe is a mirror image of the way things should be. The sights are familiar but somehow we see them in reverse!
The family will not always follow my words because of the precious freedom we hold close to our hearts. If I really want to be a leader at work, then the most effective way is to demonstrate my value through servant acts. When I give grace, love, and forgiveness to others as God has given it to me, there is a way things can work out. Perhaps the shop will not service the car correctly the first time; maybe God is teaching one or both of us something. Perhaps there is something going on in their life that is distracting or troubling. Maybe this is an opportunity for me to deliver God's gift.
It is too easy to wake up consumed by my own problems, internal conflicts, or fears. Taking control, extracting from others what I think I need to feed my soul, is the direct outcome of my quest to recognize and pay homage to the god within me. It is natural to argue this point, but the reality is that we often lose sight of why we are doing anything, much less a specific comment or decision.
Our purpose is clear, reunite with God. Do we know what God we seek?
