• Hooray for Me! Luke 17:5-10  (see below)
  Rev. Karen Goltz        
   

• Moving That Tree, Luke 17:5-10, Rev. Frank Schaefer
   

• Faith of the Mustard Seed, Luke 17:5-10, Ken Howard
   

• Our Place at the Table , Luke 17:5-10 (World Communion Sunday), Rev. Randy Quinn
   

• A FAITH WORTH HANDING ON,  2 Timothy 1:1-14 and Luke 17:7-10, by Rev. Rick Thompson
   

• Rekindle the Flame, 2 Timothy 1:1-17, Pam Moore
   

• Mulberry-Moving Faith! Luke 17:5-10, Tom Hall
   

• Why can’t we just get along? Lk 17:5-10, 2Tm 1:1-14, Sue in Cuba  

     
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Hooray for Me!
based on Luke 17:5-10
Rev. Karen Goltz

I remember back, before I went to seminary, I had a regular job. I was a contractor for the United States Air Force, specializing in financial management for various multi-national defense programs. And I was good at what I did. Very good. So good that I received letters of commendation from both the Air Force and the Navy for the first job I was asked to do. I was name-requested by NATO headquarters to head up future projects of a similar nature. I was recognized at every performance review as a superior employee, and, to be honest, I expected to be recognized, because I knew I was good.

If you think this all sounds like I’m bragging, you’re right. I am. I get conceited about this because my performance in that position is one of the greatest achievements of my life. When I was twenty-four years old I sat at a conference room table at NATO Headquarters in Brussels, and I told them why they needed to upgrade their radar net in the North Atlantic. And based on my recommendation, they did. Of course I’m proud of the work I did.

But the truth is, I wasn’t the first to sit at that conference room table, nor was I the last. When politics and personalities resulted in my suddenly losing that job, I experienced a very rude reality check. Without me on the job, the planes kept on flying. The United States Air Force did not collapse without me there to keep things in check. NATO continued to upgrade their radar net. The job continued with someone else in it because, after all, it was only a job.

I found that to be a pretty humbling experience. I’d convinced myself that I was the only one who could do that job, partly based on all the accolades I’d received. I’d convinced myself that I was the job, and that the Air Force needed me to be there.

But the more I thought about it afterwards, the more I realized: all that recognition I’d received was just for doing exactly what I was hired to do. I never went outside the parameters of my contract; I never went above and beyond the call of duty. I simply did what I was commanded to do, what I was supposed to do, what I was expected to do. All those accolades only served to inflate my own sense of centrality. It was no longer about the job that needed to be done; it was about me doing that job.

And I don’t believe I’m the only one who’s ever experienced that situation. How many times have you basked in thanks and appreciation for merely doing what you were supposed to do? Sure, you probably put a lot of effort into it and did a fantastic job. But aren’t all jobs worth putting our best effort into? What does it say about the quality we’ve come to expect as a society when simply meeting the specified requirements merits special recognition and celebration? [continue]