That’s not my job!
That’s not my job! That is something you hear all the time in the workplace and everywhere else. It reminds me of a story I recently heard. It was not about a job but the same principle applies. There was a mouse who lived on a farm. The farmer set a mousetrap. The mouse was in fear for his life, so he went to the chicken and asked for help. The chicken said, “I love you and I am with you but that doesn’t have anything to with me and they didn’t set a chicken trap so I can’t help you.” Frustrated he went to the pig. The pig said, “You know I’m here for you, but that’s not a pig trap so I can’t help you.” He finally went to the cow. The cow said, “Aw, I’m sorry but that’s not a cow trap. I love you man, but that’s nothing to do with me.”
Later that evening a venomous snake got caught in the trap and bit the farmer’s wife. She fell very ill, so the farmer killed the chicken and made chicken soup for her. People started visiting the next morning and he needed bacon and sausage, so he killed the pig. The farmer’s wife ended up dying from the bite later that day. People would be coming to eat after the funeral, so he killed the cow. There was nobody but the mouse left in the end. If they all would have helped, they would still be alive.
Moral of the story is: we are all in this together. When one of us is in trouble it affects us all.
While this is a fictitious story there is a lot if truth in it. So many times, on the job where one is falling short it would help things if others would step in to help instead of saying well that is not my job. Do not enable others to be lazy and neglect their duties, but when you see someone struggling, a helping hand goes a long way in the whole operation of things. The Bible says in Mark 10:45 “For even the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom to many”.
Then there are those who “help” but do not do it in secret. Instead, they take pictures and put it online for everyone to see so they can receive praises from man. Jesus warns against doing righteous acts to be seen by people, emphasizing those that do so have received their reward from men. The Bible also says to do your good deeds in secret and to not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. If you do something for the praises of men, you have received your reward. God will not owe you long. He always rewards his faithful servants.
It is in the fallen nature of man to be selfish and to desire accolades for doing a job that they are already paid to do. The payment is the reward, but they want praises and special recognition with national day of this and that for something that is their paid job. People tend to think there is no reward for helping in secret another who is falling behind. In the parable of the rich young man, he asks Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus reminds him to keep the commandments which the young man claims that he does. Jesus then tells him to give all his worldly possessions to the poor and follow him and he will have treasures in heaven. The young man having great possessions is unwilling to do this and walks away sorrowful. He valued his earthly treasures over eternal life and heavenly rewards.
While doing something that “is not your job” might seem meaningless, it is worth a lot. People like to rank themselves above a menial task. The higher the skill level and education the more people tend to think they are above it. If the trash needs taking out don’t leave it for someone else because they may have already bogged down. Just do it and move on. No matter how small or insignificant the job is do it as service unto the Lord.
