On this Labor Day, we focus on work as a critical part of life.  We can ask ourselves what makes us feel good about our work and how what we do for a living contributes to living a life of purpose. In this talk we share several hopes for your work, and the work of everyone on this planet.  Such hopes help us answer the questions of what to do with what we have been given: what to let go of and what to give ourselves to.  So that our work becomes an expression of our life’s meaningful purpose.

Connection

Today is a day set aside to talk about work.

Don’t be harsh, but work is actually a really interesting topic to me.  In most of my career I focused on organization restructuring as part of mergers and acquisitions, implementation of new technology, or strategic realignment.  Each project brought changes to the jobs, required skills, and ways of working for real people. 

What I did for a living forced me to consider what work means to people, how our self-concept is often tied to what we do for a living, how our work either fits or doesn’t fit with what we value, and how our work either fits or doesn’t fit with the skills we have.  

The story of my own work is probably similar to many other stories in this room.  It includes getting an education, changing careers, going back to school, changing jobs, changing companies, balancing work with family, work travel, virtual work, and even being out of work.  I’ve been fortunate to have had work I enjoyed, but I know that’s not always the case. 

Of course, we know we live in a relatively privileged time, when the work time required for survival is as low as it ever has been.  We can also say that our time and place provide us with comparatively good opportunities for personal fulfillment in our work. 

Unfortunately, that’s not true for everyone in most parts of the world, or even in this country.  For far too many people, the work required for survival consumes almost all of life, and even then, doesn’t guarantee basic needs.  For many, many people, work is still the “three Ds”: dirty, dangerous, and/or dull. 

Even as we are grateful for the time and place in which we live, we remain concerned about the situation of our fellow human beings, concerned about providing a living wage for all, and concerned about huge discrepancies in wealth distribution.

Today is about much more than a three-day weekend marking the end of summer.  Labor Day was originally established as a time to celebrate the American labor movement’s role in securing worker’s rights in the late 19th century. 

To which we should also recognize the many other social justice movements which have contributed to a better workplace, movements such as Civil Rights, Women’s Rights, LGBTQ Rights, Disability Rights, and Me Too.  Much remains to be done, but we have all benefitted from those who have gone before us.

On this day, it’s good to focus on work as a critical part of life.  It’s an appropriate time to ask ourselves what makes us feel good about our work and how what we do for a living contributes to living a life of purpose.

Perspectives on Work

Reflecting its importance in life, the major religions of the world have each sought to define the meaning of work.  Just for perspective, and at the risk of oversimplification,

• In Christianity, work can be a calling or divine purpose that each of us have in our lives. 
• In Islam, work is considered a form of worship and a means of fulfilling one’s duty to God.
• In Judaism, work is seen as a partnership with God in the ongoing creation and improvement of the world. 
• In Hinduism work is viewed as a means of fulfilling one’s dharma, or moral responsibilities. 
• And in Buddhism, work as an opportunity for personal growth, self-improvement, and mindfulness.

So what do we UUs believe?  How do we understand work, given our historical emphasis on social justice, on spiritual growth, and living in the present?  

In laying out this discussion, I’m aware that there are few easy decisions when it comes to seeking or choosing work.  And the phrase “Man, I just need a job” is not unknown to me.  That said, let me share some hopes that I have for the work of each of us.  No clue why, but as befitting a religious institution, there are seven.

Hopes for Your Work

1.  Ethical

My hope for you is that your work is ethical. 

• That you are provided fair wages and good working conditions 
• That your work does not cause physical, emotional, or psychological harm
• And, that your work promotes fair treatment, inclusivity, equality, and pluralism

The Rev Dr Martin Luther King Jr. and others have spoken often about the dignity of work and the value of all labor, especially in the context of economic justice for those who are excluded or marginalized. Exploitation of any kind, we know, degrades not only the exploited, but all of us.

For each of us, may our work be ethical.

2.  Service to Others

My hope is that your work gives you the opportunity to be of service to others.  It could be…

• Developing or delivering goods that solve real problems in food, housing, safety, education, or healthcare
• Providing services that save time, reduce effort, or improve the quality of life
• Sharing knowledge, mentoring, or teaching skills that help others grow
• Or, it could be building tools, platforms, or processes that enable others to achieve their goals.

However your work enables you to serve others, we know that we never labor alone.  The well-being of this interdependent web of existence which we are a part depends on each of us. Our work is a chance to help others breathe easier and lead richer lives. 

For each of us, may our work be a service to others.

3.  Aligns with your Values

My hope for you is that your work aligns with your values and beliefs, that it fosters your sense of authenticity and purpose. What this means in practice is that we carry out our accountabilities in ways that align with what we regard as most important.  It’s about being consistent between what we say we value and what we actually do to make a living.    

Noted Quaker minister Parker J. Palmer writes that our deepest calling is to grow into our own authentic selfhood, whether or not it conforms to some image of who we ought to be.  As we do so, we will not only find the joy that every human being seeks, but we will also find our path of authentic service in the world.

For each of us, may our work foster your sense of authenticity and purpose.

4.  Personal Growth

My hope for youis that your work is an opportunity for self-discovery and personal growth.  What we do in our work – how we make decisions, what we defend, how we respond to challenges and what we celebrate – all illuminate our values and show our blind spots.  This self-discovery is the foundation for probing boundaries and developing who we are through skill development, character development, and going beyond self-centered goals.

We know that work is an opportunity and not all work creates opportunities equally.  We can remember to be attentive to our work – what does it teach us about ourselves? It can be about finding what brings joy, fulfillment, and a sense of purpose.  Work can be a chance to practice ethical growth and service. Work can also be a vehicle by which to grow through generosity, kindness, and interconnection.

For each of us, may our work be an opportunity for personal growth.

5.  Enduring

My hope for you is that your work is enduring. 

That your work is sustainable so that future generations are left with more, not less with which to build their legacy.  

• Environmentally, by minimizing waste
• Socially, by skill development and shared trust
• And economically, by prioritizing long-term success

Moreover, I hope that your work has lasting value or relevance beyond the moment of execution.

• That it demonstrates high quality and craftsmanship
• That it influences and inspires others
• That it provides narratives or methods that continue to be useful
• And, that it outlasts you in the impact that it has on the conditions, resources, and opportunities available to people tomorrow.

For each of us, may our work be enduring

6.  Connect with that Which is Beyond You

My hope for you is that your work allows you to connect with that which is beyond you.  Whatever is your concept of God – whether that be the larger humanity, the cosmos, or higher spiritual authority — remember that you fit into it.  Whatever terms we use, this Presence is what animates our experience of love, hope, and compassion.  It’s not an abstract concept; it is a relationship. 

We know that all relationships bring with them duties and responsibilities.  For UUs, the notion of connecting with something greater than ourselves is completely tied to the concept of transformation.  It’s the result of intentionally setting ourselves in relationship with a presence that is life changing.  Can your work change your life?  I think so. 

For each of us, may our work allow us to connect with that which is beyond us.

7.  Heal the World

Finally, my hope for you is that your work helps to heal the world.  We remember that we are in partnership with that which is beyond us in the creation and repair of the world.  To help bring into existence a vision of hope and belonging, where all people are treated with dignity and respect, and where compassion and equity are central values.

That may be a bit of a stretch for most workplaces.  But whatever this healed world is, or will be, it can be known and it can be realized by what is going on right now.  It seems we already know the answers.   To welcome strangers, provide for those in need, create a place where all are treated fairly and justly, defend one another, and ensure that all people feel loved.  Work may be just the place to start healing the world. 

For each of us, may our work help to heal the world. 

What is My Real Work

Those are my hopes for your work, for my work, and the work of everyone.  Those hopes point to the shape of a greater reality beyond that which is before us right now.  They help us discern what could be called our real work. 

On this Labor Day weekend I invite you to join me in asking what is my real work. To ask this question we are also asking “what am I called to do”.  This is a spiritual question that goes far beyond what should I do to pay the bills.

Discerning our real work is not only for the young who are starting out on their own and figuring out how they want to contribute to the world.  It’s also the task of those of us who are getting older, moving to a different stage of life, and maybe even retiring from their careers.  All of us must regularly ask ourselves what is my real work:

• The work that will affirm our dignity and the dignity of those around us. 
• That work that will create something of value to others, something deeply needed in the world
• That work that will help us on our journey to become the person that we really are
• That work that will have impact that stretches beyond our time here
• The work that will transform us, by connecting us with that which is greater than we are
• And, the work that will transform the world, to make it a place of compassion and justice and peace

I wish you good options and wise choices.  Find what feeds your soul in your work and do more of it.  Know that you are worthy and find ways to lift us all toward a day in which every worker has the chance to live into these hopes.

Closing

As we close, and if I could leave you with only one thought, it would be to live into the hope that your work becomes an expression of your life’s meaningful purpose.

Today – Labor Day – is a good time to focus on work as a critical part of life.  It’s an appropriate time to ask ourselves what makes us feel good about our work and how what we do for a living contributes to living a life of purpose.  

This question has to do with finding work that is ethical and is of real service to others.  Work that aligns with your values and presents the opportunity for personal growth. Work that endures.  And work that allows us to be transformed by that which is beyond us and to help to heal the world.  

With these hopes in mind, we can pause now to ask “what is my real work that I called to in this life”. This is the question of what to do with the passions, talents, and opportunities we have been given. 

May you discover it in yourself, give of yourself, and may you be remembered for the goodness and meaning that you have shared with the world.