When I was in grade 12 I worked at Giant Tiger stocking shelves. One of the employees at the Giant Tiger was a thin elderly man who wore large glasses and had trouble walking called Dennis. Dennis was a character. He normally shared hilarious stories from his life. I sometimes wondered why he doesn’t seem more sad since he’s not enjoying his final years in retirement. One day he pulled me to the side and started to share with me the impact that Jesus had on his life. At the time, I brushed him off as crazy, but today I’ve come to see what he meant.
In the gospel Simon and his brother Andrew are fishing near the shore on the Sea of Galilee. At another point in the gospels we realize just how terrible their jobs were. Imagine your livelihood depended on you fishing under the middle eastern sun day in and day out, barely catching enough fish to provide a roof and food for your family, along with paying crippling taxes to an oppressive government? I’m sure Simon and Andrew questioned their purpose several times.
When Jesus comes along, he says to the brothers, “Come follow me and I will make you fishers of people.” Jesus of course is using their day time job as an analogy for being his disciples. But there’s more to it. Just because Simon and Andrew became disciples of Jesus, their worldly challenges didn’t disappear. In fact they multiplied. They still had to fish to put a roof over their families’ heads, pay taxes, maintain their boats, and eat. Moreover, now they also had to pay for Jesus’ ministry. Life got harder, yet they found a greater purpose to work for. They went from darkness to light. From nihilism to purpose.
Today, I’ve come to understand why Dennis seemed so content and purpose driven despite his physical frailty and economic condition. His job at Giant Tiger wasn’t just a job to pay the bills, but it was a way to serve God.
I think this is a great mindset. God is bigger than our Sundays. We are called to serve him and offer our everyday tasks to him, even mundane ones, …. even ones like studying.
Let us pray,
In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Lord God, you are my light and stronghold. You have the power to release me from my fears. Help me to seek you and see your beauty in every aspect of my life. In my darkness and brokenness I pray that you help me see your goodness. Strengthen me in the face of all challenges, inspire me with courage, and grant peace in my day.
In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
