Hi there. I am Dr. Gilbert Soo Hoo, welcoming you back for the sixth episode of our series of talks on the topic, “My Work, Career, and Vocation.” Previously, I explained our vocation in terms of showing common grace for the common good. We mirror the creator who is characterized by benevolence and graciousness in showering humanity with common grace—the beauty all around us in nature to enjoy, the functional infrastructure of our cities and towns, and our mental and emotional pleasure in the creativity of artists, writers, playwrights, inventors, entrepreneurs, scientists, and others. For example, I’m indebted to the inventor of the microwave that cuts down cooking time greatly. This convenience is a literal life-saver for me returning home after a long, tiring day at the office and I’m hungry. I can’t wait for the meal to be ready using traditional cooking methods. I need to eat now or starve.

Also, last time I reviewed Jesus’ parable of the good Samaritan in responding to the question, “Who is my neighbour?” Essentially, Jesus defined neighbour as anyone inside or outside our circle of loved ones and community. It can include someone for whom we may have to overcome a natural aversion or prejudice toward. It can be a stranger locally or globally. Living in the era of globalization, we could potentially bless someone living in another part of the world. This very broad scope makes anyone a possible candidate to benefit from our kindness.

Again, as I mentioned before, it’s not an open-ended, unlimited enterprise. We take stock of our abilities and personal resources. We don’t go beyond our limits but stay within them, mindful that we still have responsibilities to care for ourselves and our loved ones. We also need to be aware of the needs around us and discern for which needs we may try to meet. That implies that we are not so overly focused on ourselves that we miss opportunities to help others, that we remain vigilant, even looking proactively for possibilities. We stay alert and responsive. We don’t worry about accruing recognition or reward. Someone benefiting from our good deed is sufficient reward.

Recently, I read about the actor Keanu Reeves star of the Matrix trilogy. As the story goes, while filming a movie, he overheard two costume assistants talking. One expressed her fear of losing her house because she couldn’t pay $20,000. That very day Keanu deposited the necessary amount in the woman’s bank account. He has also contributed large sums to hospitals. He goes about doing good quietly, without fanfare. He has the reputation of being a nice guy. Something as simple as giving up his seat to a woman carrying a large bag didn’t cost him anything but that gesture spoke well about his kindness of and consideration to others. True, Keanu is wealthy and can afford to help in ways most of us cannot emulate. But his so-called small gestures of kindness demonstrate that any of us can do likewise, what is within our means to do so. Keanu expects nothing in return. He is only interested in doing good for others. This is something we should strive to do. But is doing good for others part of our DNA? Is it second nature? Are we responsive to the opportunities, many of which happen without much warning?

Years ago, I was associated with a group of young people in their 20s and 30s. Aware of the homeless and their plight subsisting in the inner-city, they took the initiative to gather once a month on a Friday evening to prepare care packages to distribute the next day. They planned where they would go to find the homeless. The next day they met at a predetermined location and then fanned out along the streets, parks, and other likely places where they would find them. But the care packages were second in importance to the homeless, more significant for them were the conversations they engaged with the young people. Most of them shared that being treated with respect and caring enough to know them and their stories made them feel like a person once again and not simply a statistic or nameless entity.

Opportunities to dispense the common good are there. We have to look for them, evaluate our abilities, and then go take them. Compassion is love in action. Common grace regard love of neighbour as an action that touches lives and strives to make a difference.

Let’s direct our attention more specifically to the marketplace. In order to consider pursuing the common good, we must first view our professional colleagues—coworkers, supervisors, clients or customers, management, and subordinates—as neighbours in preparation for obeying the second greatest commandment of loving our neighbours. This identification is essential. Traditionally, workers may view the power differential between themselves and their bosses as the source of fear and dread when relating to supervisors or upper management. They may hesitate speaking up to voice their opinion or viewpoint, especially if they suspect it differs from those above them. Bosses may reinforce that impression if they’re authoritative and habitually disregard input from their staff. Office politics or fierce competition among coworkers make it difficult to see one another as neighbours and as objects for compassion. Trying to dispense grace may prompt suspicion: Why is he trying to do me a favor? What’s his angle? What’s in it for him? Is he trying to get something from me? Is he pretending to care because of an ulterior motive?

Doing good to others that is not directly related to our job description is not easy in the corporate world because it’s a foreign concept there. Acting as professionals, trying to satisfy our KPIs, striving mightily to meet deadlines and to stay within budget may spawn a cutthroat culture, especially with task-oriented and even unscrupulous management. The bottom line is a non-negotiable. We’re not paid to be kind. Bosses may view employees with disdain. Employees may not be treated humanely or, at least, they themselves feel that way. The pressure to remain productive can discourage workers to show care. They have to mobilize all their time and energy to meet management expectations. Where would they find the time and energy to help a colleague? Would that not dilute their own work progress? It seems counterintuitive.

All of these discouraging factors make our vocation of seeking the common good of others within our work world very challenging and even seemingly impossible. Is this vocation realistic or merely fantasy? Like a wonderful picture framed and hanging on the wall, nice to look at but not practical. Maybe we should just focus on non-marketplace related opportunities, like helping the homeless, a sick relative or friend, orphans in developing countries. No one would begrudge us these avenues of compassion. They’re safe and we have total say on the matter.

But can we afford to ignore or circumvent the work world with regard to implementing our vocation? The fact that perhaps 25% or more of our waking hours each week are spent at work, including commute time which can be significant for some of us, compels us to reconsider our stewardship in that arena. If we fail to incorporate our vocation at the office, how can we in all sincerity claim to be faithful? For those of us who believe in God who has entrusted his calling to us, we are mindful of giving account to him someday. Our conscience would trouble us, not to mention coming before our divine judge.

The underlying truth for the above centers on the fact that life cannot be compartmentalized into certain areas critical to our vocation and other areas being exempt. Earlier, we stated that vocation encompasses all of life. We are not divided into different people, being one person in one area, another person in another area, and a different person in yet a third area. We are one and the same person in each and every area of life. If we pursue the common good, we must pursue it in all areas of life, otherwise our integrity would be compromised. Thus, we must find a way to pursue it in the marketplace. Whereas we have no guarantees of successfully doing so, we have to try.

The obvious traits we need are wisdom and discernment. We need discernment to recognize an opportunity when it arises or anticipate an opportunity that will occur, or even create the opportunity. Wisdom enables us to decide how best to distribute common grace. But even these attributes cannot ensure definite success. Try as we might, we may still fail to deliver. The only thing we can do is to make the attempt with the best of intentions. And should we fail there is no shame. We are still true to our vocation. Circumstances may lie beyond our control; isn’t that typical of life in general? We’re responsible only for our part and fulfill it to the best of our ability.

One excellent practice by some companies features mentors or coaches, senior managers. They set aside time from their schedules to meet with junior staff in recognizing the potential value of promising younger employees and investing in them.

Although not in senior management, we can still mentor younger workers. For example, we can interact in an informal setting say over lunch or outside office hours. Or even short sessions during work hours so long as it does not interfere with our own work.

Next time we will look at benefits for ourselves when we show common grace to others. But for now, I close episode 6 of our series on work, career, and vocation. Until then have a safe and fulfilling day.

Questions and Comments

1. Are there any people to whom you would hesitate showing common grace?

2. Do you have clearly identified limits beyond which you would not show common grace?

3. Can you identify ways you can show common grace in the workplace?