Wednesday, December 12, 2007

What kind of people are the hardest for you to work with?

I am so often amazed by what people will say during a job interview. Yesterday during an interview one of my staff asked the candidate what kind of people were the most difficult for her to work with. The response, "the unsaved - from a christian standpoint." (And bear in mind - she had absolutely no way of knowing the "saved" status of the staff who were conducting the interview.)

My staff were somewhat taken aback by this response - and I was quite frankly appalled. The organization I work for is not a christian organization - but we are a non-profit human service organization. Our job is to support, encourage, and expand the opportunities for people with a variety of disabilities - people who unfortunately are often seen by society as unlovely - as outcasts. Our staff are (for the most part) dedicated, loving, caring people - who work to bring about not only tolerance and acceptance but true inclusion for everyone. Our staff and clients come from many backgrounds and faiths. As a christian I often have the opportunity to show Christ's love and God's mercy to both staff and clients. I have many opportunities to counsel, encourage, and lead people to make better choices with regard to their way of life - physically, emotionally, AND spiritually. (And at times I have the opportunity to ask them for forgiveness when I've done something stupid.) I believe that my work in this field is a mission - a calling of God.
It is a field full of people - some are "saved" , some are "unsaved" (and it's not my job to decide which is which). My duty and my joy as a christian is to show and share Christ with all of them as I go about my daily work..

I'm so glad that Christ didn't find "the unsaved" (from a religious view) the hardest to work with. The lepers, the sick and lame, the possessed, the sinners, the lost - the "unsaved" are who he came for, the ones he chose to be with, the ones he loved. How sad that a believer has missed that point. If you find it hard to work with the "unsaved" - how small your world must be, and how small your love for those God's plan and Christ's gift was meant to save. If God's people find it hard to work with the "unsaved" - how will anyone else come to be saved?

It makes me want to cry for this woman.