What's Important

Many, many years ago, my younger brother and I followed in our dad’s footsteps and joined IBM for our first adult jobs.  I did in the more usual way – college, MBA, start out as an up-and-coming finance and planning guy.  My brother, David, took a more circuitous route.

He dropped out of college, leaving South Bend for the much sunnier climes of Florida.  A year or so later, he hires on at IBM in Boca Raton, working third shift on the manufacturing line for the new IBM PCs – this was many, many years ago!  Putting tops on bottoms is how he described his job.

Realizing that this could not possibly be what he’d do for the rest of his life, he starts taking college classes during the day, and ultimately earns his degree.  Promoted to junior financial analyst, IBM transfers him to the Manassas, Virginia plant, where my dad and I both work.

Soon after arriving, he decides to visit Dad in his office.  Now Dad was one of the IBM managers who opened the Manassas plant, and he was currently in charge of operations and facilities.  About half of the site's employees reported to him.

Dave leaves the rabbit warren of cubicles – his new home – and takes the shuttle over to headquarters, then the elevator to the top floor – okay, it was only a three story building, but it was the top floor – and is quite impressed.  Let into the inner sanctum by the officious-looking secretary outside the door, Dad is at his big desk, conference table and chairs to one side, couches along the other.

Dave says to him, “Dad, you must be really important!”

Dad responds in his typically gruff way, – people didn’t call him “Big Bear” for nothing – “David, I’m not important, I just have an important job.  That’s what this is all about.”

How often and how easily I, like David, like James and John in today’s passage, confuse the earthly trappings of success and honor with what Jesus truly wants for each one of us.

My Dad, like Jesus, knew that these transitory and material signs of earthly success say nothing about who we truly are. 

It isn’t important that I have a secretary standing sentinel outside the door, it only matters that the Holy Spirit is constantly present in my life, guiding and strengthening me.

It isn’t important how spacious and well-appointed my office is, it only matters how broad and how deep God’s love is in my heart.

It isn’t important how many people report to me, it only matters how many people I serve, for the first among you will be the slave to all.

The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give his life for the many – for me, for you, for everyone. 

Now that’s important!