Playing With House Money in Your Father's Casino

The day returning from vacation is often a little tough for me. There's something wonderful about putting aside all the cares of the world aside for a few days and spending quality time with the family, without the ambient noise of deadlines, office politics, competing priorities, conflict mediation, and the always looming pressure of having to make a good impression which will lead to the next raise and next promotion. In essence, the angst I experience returning to work after time off is when I think my idolatry of work becomes most obvious.

When I was at Wharton, I learned a well known marketing research technique known as "laddering" which helped ascertain the true root cause around why people liked a product. So a rough example would be:

"Why do you like that sports car?"

"Because it has a lot of horsepower."

"Why do you like to have a lost of horsepower?"

"So I can drive fast."

"Why do you want to drive fast?"

"So I can speed past other cars on the highway."

"Why do you want to speed past other sports cars on the highway?"

"Because chicks dig it when I pass other sports cars."

"Why is it important that chicks dig it?"

"Because when chicks dig it, they want to ride with me in my car."

"So why is that important?"

"Because I seek female companionship."

So through a number of follow-up questions, you've essentially boiled down a man's desire for a sports car into a desire for female companionship.

In that same way, the search for significance at work, when boiled down, emerges as a longing for things that a Christian knows for a fact they cannot ultimately attain through promotions or raises. I've done this laddering exercise a few times when I've been stressed at work and ultimately, even at most altruistic, it comes down to "I want to provide for my family" or worse, "I want the freedom to retire early and not spend my best years running the rat race." Ultimately, these well-intentioned goals are things that God can give me in His perfect providence and will. Matthew 6:16 is clear in admonishing us not to worry, but to instead trust in a God who has provided food for the birds and has adorned the lilies in majestic splendor.

This isn't a license to be irresponsible at work, but rather a reminder that it's fruitless to drive oneself to grief over much of which we have little control over. Quite plainly, I need to constantly remind myself to be faithful, and let the Lord handle the results. I am reminded in Daniel 1:9 about God's dominion over the hearts and minds over those even who don't acknowledge His lordship. In that same way, I can find peace in knowing that God ultimately can propel me as high or as low in my career as He sees fit. And my prayer is that if the price of earthly glory for me is to be pulled away from my Lord, I'd rather wallow in career mediocrity.

In a much larger sense, it's good to be reminded that the upside on this side of glory doesn't compare to that which we can look forward to. I am infinitely blessed to have the opportunities I do and the material possessions that I have. To coin a casino phrase, I'm playing with "house money" - with chips that I did not earn to play in this game of life. I'm also playing in my Father's casino, where the river card will turn me into a winner whenever He sees fit.