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Writer's pictureeric mau hsiao ming

coffee and work

Updated: May 16, 2022


Having a cup of nice latte on a Thursday afternoon and thinking about work life is quite refreshing. While waiting for someone, I saw this small little cafe tucked in the corner of a huge shopping mall, After 2 years of not walking into one, it would be good to have a nice cup of latte and see the world of work go around me.


When I look at how my coffee is made by the barista (I think this is how they are called), I can't stop but to reflect on the work we do. I was thinking that a good cup of latte came from the fine coffee machine but the art of making the good cup of coffee intrique me. Yes, the machine is precised, the right amount of water, sugar and coffee, all are preset.


The black liquid that flows out from the machine surely smells good, but the art of creativity comes at the end as she beautifully carved an intricate design made by the foam on top of my regular cup of coffee. Well, this is the first time in my life, I ever looked at the pattern on the foam. The designed is remarkable and full of 'creativity'. We are designed to be like God, isn't it, we are image bearer and hence creativity flows from us through our vocation.


Work can be creative because it has a purpose and a meaning which comes from our very image of God. God knits us intricately in our mother's womb and display his power of what was very good, and then our good work follows- Work that is good for ourself, good for neighbours and good for the world. This is God's creative power at work in the world through us.


How are we to bring creativity to the worklife? We need to have passion and imagination- where are work is God's work and he has us in mind before the foundation of the world. So, if he is passionate and imaginative, then we need to be as well for we are created to be like him


We see the triune God working in a creative union, Jesus say 'My Father is working so am I',where the Father cooperate with Jesus in accomplishing his work on earth. The Holy Spirit also help us in our work. But, many of us do not see the cooperation of God in our work, and work becomes mundane, a chores, a difficult thing, term hard and many are /verge of giving up their worklife. Many of us are barely hanging on to our work and many see work as an end in itself and not as a means to an end. Thus, work degenerate to selfish motives only for self-pleasure and nothing more. This is a very narrow view of work.


Hence we need a new mindset to have creativity at work so that we can remove selfishness of work. We need to see work from the charisma perspective, God indwell us, save us and sanctify us and imparting spiritual gifts ( charisma) so that we can be creative in our work. We are in the age where we are engaged with the Spirit work for our daily life (Gal.5:19-26), this is not an ecstatic exeperiences but a Spirit enabling, Christ giving and the father empowering us to ignite passion and imagination. When this happens, work will not be duty bound but it will be liberating because it anchors on the hope of work in the world to come and the charisma given by God.


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