Our Contribution To Harmony at Work

IN music, harmony is produced when the right combination of distinct notes is presented together. Each note has a clear individuality, and that individuality, is never lost when the note is combined with others in harmony. Listening for a single tone in a chord, we can hear it. And when we listen for all together, we hear music enriched by each element, sounding in concert to fulfill the musical idea.

Similarly, most of us work with others, combining our efforts to produce a single product or service, with many clear individualities contributing to the work. We are all clear individual notes. Our nature is God-conferred and is distinct. But as members of a staff, like notes on a musical staff, we produce harmony when we cooperate and work together.

We should remember this when we are working in any group effort. Sometimes our contributions may seem unimportant no matter how sincerely we work. But even when our dedication seems to go unnoticed or to remain obscure, it is important to know for ourselves that our work is beneficial--both individually and as a vital part of the overall chord of the work being done.

In First Corinthians, Paul discusses this extensively. He provides a spiritual rationale for the unity of effort needed to promote the young Christian Church. And he presents a clear method for supporting any adjustment we may need to bring the whole into harmony. He writes: ``Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestati on of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal."

If we are troubled by feeling our part in any work is ineffective or undervalued, we may assure ourselves by testing our contribution against the spiritual qualities it should express. Again, we have Paul's counsel, this time to the Galatians, ``The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." If we can bring out these qualities in what we do and ensure they are there by the spirit we give to our work, we will ha ve done our part in producing the harmony we wish to be a part of.

We are aided in this effort by our recognition of the God- supported, spiritual nature of man's being. John's Gospel records that when speaking of his followers, Christ Jesus said, ``They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world." The grace that these words imply, when accepted, lifts us out of merely human considerations to perceive ``the fruit of the Spirit," and it gives inspiration to our work.

Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, writes in her Message to The Mother Church for 1902: ``Loving chords set discords in harmony. Every condition implied by the great Master, every promise fulfilled, was loving and spiritual, urging a state of consciousness that leaves the minor tones of so-called material life and abides in Christlikeness." By seeing the spiritual nature of our work, and our place in it as God's expression, man, we bring to it the keynote that inspires harm ony.

You can find more articles like this one in the Christian Science Sentinel, a weekly magazine.

You've read  of  free articles. Subscribe to continue.
QR Code to Our Contribution To Harmony at Work
Read this article in
https://www.csmonitor.com/1992/0916/16171.html
QR Code to Subscription page
Start your subscription today
https://www.csmonitor.com/subscribe