Thessalonians 1:11 “With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith.”
Use good judgment in all situations. This is the one rule Nordstrom, the high-end fashion retailer, gives to every new hire. It was a rule some may have initially called into question had they witnessed one employee who understood more than most of us God’s call in her life…
Tony Campollo tells the story of a bedraggled bag lady who managed to duck security and stroll into Nordstrom’s top floor, the floor which housed their most luxurious dresses. As she got off the elevator a saleswoman came right up to her and offered her assistance. When the lady said she wanted a party dress, the saleswoman enthusiastically replied she had come to the right place. She then led her to the fitting room where she tried on two dresses. Upon deciding she didn’t want a dress after all, the saleswoman graciously responded, “That’s quite all right, Madam. But I’d like you to take my card. Should you come back to Nordstrom, I would consider it both a privilege and a pleasure to wait on you again.”
This woman knew her work in life went far beyond selling expensive clothing. Her call was to shine the light of Christ no matter what the situation. And so is ours.
We each have different assignments in life. We fulfill roles as students. As singles. As spouses. As parents, grandparents. We have different jobs throughout life. My first employment consisted of washing people’s dirty clothes as a laundromat attendant. I’ve been a waitress, a librarian, a speech therapist, a teacher. Some jobs don’t entail a paycheck. We care for elderly parents or sick neighbors. We volunteer at a food pantry or go on mission trips to minister to the needy.
But like this Nordstrom saleswoman, all of us who are believers share a common call—to treat our fellow human beings with dignity and so shine the light of Christ. No matter what our circumstances, how much money we make, or don’t make, whether our assignments prove difficult or pleasant, we have the opportunity to make every season count.
Seeing every situation through the lens of our call is good judgment. I think it’s the best judgment of all.