'Titles'

“I made the most of my ability and I did my best with my title.” - unknown

Titles are nothing without a sound understanding of the PURPOSE behind them.

Gearing up for my new job I – ok, already I need to divert to another thought – ugh…. I really have to remember what was in my coffee today – for the thoughts, they just keep a coming . . . it’s all good, like McDonald’s ‘I’m loving it’, but I have to digress simply to definitions again:

SEVERAL revelations came from this recent pursuit for the ‘perfect job’. It got me thinking about what that word really means. JOB is defined as: anything a person is expected or obliged to do; duty; responsibility. EMPLOYMENT is defined as: an occupation by which a person earns a living; work; business.

First and foremost, was the realization that my ‘perfect job’ has been mine from the beginning – WORKING to keep myself open and moldable to ‘A WORK’ that is being done within me so that I may, in turn, do that which is continually assigned – that is my JOB – what I am called to do - period. Along the way, I am called to many employments that will also allow me PROVISION for the air that I and those that have been entrusted to me breath while we are here. So, in this aspect, a correction is to be made . . . my pursuit of this current “employment” has allowed me much in the way of revelations.

OK, the train has reentered the station again so I continue with my initial thoughts . . .

GEARING UP for my new 'employment', I was asked what I wanted on my business cards – “same as the last or do you want to change the title?” To which I said, “I’ve never been big on titles per say, only understanding what it is you see my position to be. My performance will reflect that which you are needing from this position – you tell me what you see this position to be.” (I had already locked in my salary so it truly didn’t matter at this stage of the game in that respect).

So a title was chosen and the cards have been ordered but all this prompted more thoughts as I focused on the sentiments I had shared. Many spend their whole life in pursuit of that ultimate title – only to have it mean NOTHING in the performance they ultimately give. So truly, I ask . . . WHAT IS IN A NAME?

One of my favorite movies is “Sommersby” – ok so Richard Gere is not bad to look at but it is more for the message of that movie – the need to live up to a name that holds HONOR. I want more than anything to have INTEGRITY in all I do – no matter what title I have before my name – Education Coordinator, Mother . . . and so forth. I, like all of us wear many HATS during the day – will have many titles in my lifetime and want to be able to have the highest form of integrity under all those titles.

Until recently, I have always struggled with truly understanding the concept of the Trinity. While I will not claim to fully understand anything of God, I will claim that when I look again, having an understanding that we ALL wear many titles, it becomes a little easier to see. At the risk of causing heart failure in many, I will use the analogy of myself – stating emphatically that I fully understand my limitations and my unworthiness in this comparison - but if we are truly to be imitators of GOD . . . to be Christ-like in our pursuit of the kingdom: I AM . . . . woman . . . MOTHER . . . DAUGHTER . . . and SOUL.

My TITLE . . . depends upon what God is looking for in me in that particular employment.

Until next time . . . choose integrity in ALL you are.