I recently saw “Up in the Air”, the George Clooney movie that critics are raving about. I’m not paid to critique Hollywood’s latest cinematic release, so I’ll save you from my complete movie review.

 There were a few scenes that really struck me. Clooney’s character is a man whose job is to fire people. During a company’s down-sizing, he is hired to come in and lower the boom on unfortunate employees. You can imagine how the people who are “let go” feel about this man.

 What struck me was how the people felt about their jobs – or more truthfully, how they felt now that they had lost that job. Most of the characters were depicted as completely distraught. Lost. Dumbfounded. And worst of all; hopeless.

 I found myself praying (yes, praying). I was uttering prayers for the real people, like these fictional characters, who have lost their jobs during these last two years of difficult economic times. And I prayed for you college-age folks who are involved with Quest that will soon be entering a job market that still looks bleak. 

 What I found most saddening and truthful about these fictional scenes, was the hopelessness that overwhelmed people who lost their jobs. And while I will never deny the terrible circumstances the jobless find themselves in, I will always pray that each of us puts our hope in something greater than any job.

 I hope everyone finds a job. But more than that, I hope all of us finds our worth, identity, joy, and hope in something eternal: something you can not get fired from.

 Psalm 39:7     Romans 5:1-6     1 Timothy 6:17

~ by chris on February 16, 2010.