I find it a terrible thing, that I am basically the worst kind of client for my Lord and God – I am full of demands and full of suggestions, and I lack even enough patience to allow my God to do His work…
It seems that over the last few months I have heard a number of stories from people who have not received respect for their professional opinion and actions.
In these stories that I have heard, a professional has begun working on a job and the client has simply assumed that the job is very very easy and is trying to dictate how the job will be undertaken.
In these stories, the professional has been told that they are taking too long, or are too scared, or are too slow and inefficient at their job. And because of this, there has been added pressure on the professional to complete their work.
When I was at university so long ago, we were taught about our profession. I still remember the lecture where we were told that as professionals, we would be held to higher ethical standards, and we would be expected to undergo continual professional education. We were told that the difference between a professional and a non-professional was indicated by the level of training and education, the degree of knowledge and skill and the amount of continuing professional education.
All of these things together mean that when an experienced professional does a job, it can often appear that the job itself is very easy, when in fact it is extremely difficult!
And I have been thinking about that today, because the underestimation of the professionals by their clients has reminded me of how I underestimate my Lord and God, Creator of the Universe.
You see, just as a professional is so highly skilled, trained and experience, that the work that they do can appear very easy, so too is the work of God apparently easy.
God – who is infinitely more than a professional – can do infinite things. And because of His power, those things can look quite easy. And so I am like the client and I look at all the wonders that my God has made and I critique them…
“Can’t you do it faster?” “Isn’t it possible to do it better?” “Why is it taking so long?”
And just like all those disgruntled clients, who sit around and criticise work that they do not even understand, I look at the mastery of my God and say, “Why did you allow that young person to die?” “Why is that family suffering through a breakdown?” “Why is that person suffering with an illness?”
And my Lord and God – in perfect humility – says nothing, as He works His wonders… Even when a client like me, sits around finding fault with things that are so far beyond my understanding that I could have no possible concept of what it is that my God is doing…
And today, I find it a terrible thing, that I am basically the worst kind of client for my Lord and God – I am full of demands and full of suggestions, and I lack even enough patience to allow my God to do His work…
Poor God. Poor poor God…
For with prayer, I stand on Holy Ground where everything is clear. Here. At the Foot of the Cross.
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