The End of the Week

Thank God it’s Friday! This is the, not always jokingly meant, refrain heard all across the western world. What does it imply?

Clearly many people do not have jobs that bring them much, if any, satisfaction and large numbers of people through no fault of their own, are working only because they need money to enable them and their families to live. Can anything be done to change this heartfelt outpouring of relief every Friday?

I think the first thing we all can do is to do what my father always urged, “make the best of a bad job.” This means accepting that even though one’s job may be boring, even ‘mind destroying’ in its boredom and repetitiveness, it is possible to make it more bearable. You are working because you need the money, right? The job is mindless, requires little or no skill or concentration. You are making one part of hundreds or thousands that go into making whatever the finished product is but you never see that finished product. However, you know what it is; you know how it will be used. Will people enjoy using it? Will it bring them pleasure? Will it help someone become well perhaps? Is it going to help someone else produce something important to us all? Then think what the effect would be if the finished article doesn’t work because your piece of it is shoddily or carelessly made. OK, the machine you operate takes care of that. Why are you there then? There must be at least a chance that the machine won’t always ‘take care of that’. So, in return for the money with which this boring, repetitive job provides you, you need to realise YOU ARE IMPORTANT. Without your presence, the whole enterprise could grind to a halt because no-one was there to notice when a machine failed to ‘take care of that’.


Most jobs involve working with and for others and people are the most fascinating of God’s creations. If you don’t like your job, try liking the people. Try to learn what makes each one ‘tick’, without prying or becoming a busybody and above all, without judging. Try to find out when they are feeling down and cheer them up. Surprise them with small acts of compassion and consideration. Find out when they are happy or have had a piece of good luck and share their happiness – show them you care. Try also to remember the things you are planning to do with the money you will earn; all those plans you are making for the future.

You may work in a shop or restaurant and there are times when there are few customers and others when it’s so busy you can hardly cope. Be interested in your customers. Put yourself in their shoes. What do you hope to find in a shop or a restaurant when you are a customer? Try to ensure that your customers will never find your establishment lacking. Use those slack times to provide those little extra personal touches that make all the difference to a customer. Don’t wait to be told by your manager. Try harder to be patient when times are busy and some customers are inconsiderate. After all, you don’t know the reason they are like that. Take time to learn more about what you are selling or providing for the customer. BE INTERESTED!

A boring job is usually only that because you allow it to be so. You are in a situation where whatever the job is, it is your only source of income. If you try, in all ways, to become more involved, more interested, then the job becomes much more satisfying. I do not pretend that my suggestions are all encompassing and you may rightly feel, they cannot be applied in your case. What I hope I am doing is to make you think.

Whilst thinking, what about the role of God in your job? “Now he goes too far,” I hear you say. Not at all, most people feel that ‘serving God’ is something only a Priest or a Minister does. Were this the case then God would only play a part in our lives when we were involved in some activity to do with church – and some of us never go to church anyway. I believe, with good reason, that we are part of God and He is part of us. It follows that everything we do involves God. Have you ever looked at things from that point of view? We are all God’s children and EVERYTHING we do is part of serving God. Try thinking about your job in this way and then take the next step. If I am serving God should I not be doing the best I can? Are you? Only you can answer that question. What I am suggesting is, if you try to ensure you are doing your very best work because you are serving your God then it will transform your attitude to your job. The time will pass more quickly, you will feel less tired and irritable at the end of the day and not only you but everyone around you will benefit.

I close by leaving you with this thought:

Who does the best his circumstance allows; does well, acts nobly; Angels could do no more.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Lionel