Performing vs. Experiencing

There’s a big difference between merely performing your job and actually experiencing your job. Merely performing our jobs is far less complicated. We always deceive ourselves into thinking that we shouldn’t strive to do anything more than what is simply required. The rhythmic motion of belaying. The half-hearted greetings we utter to every passing guest to be polite. Inspecting and adjusting every guest room so that each one becomes the same polished form. This attitude can permeate every area of our lives until we get to a point where we’re not even sure whether we’re getting by or stifling ourselves.

For me and my work in the programs department, experiencing my job means that I am not just performing the motions that I can do in my sleep by now. Experiencing my job means that I am actively receiving and transmitting insight and understanding. This is very hard for me to do. Tasks such as helping guests down the ladder at the zipline or instructing guests on how to load their arrows on the bows have become so familiar and stale that I don’t even try to be aware of what God has to show me in my work. I forget that God is a God that transcends human experiences. Boring and monotonous human experiences are no different to Him than exhilarating and profound human experiences; in every situation He is the same God with the same ability to speak to us. This fact is emphasized in the passage where Elijah is laying low in a cave and waiting for God to speak to him. God’s voice doesn’t come with the strong wind, fire or earthquake, but comes as a whisper within the silent aftermath. We just have to be willing to receive insight from God even in the most seemingly monotonous moments.

For me, transmitting insight means that I am engaging in conversations with my guests so that I can hear their stories. Our realities are composed of our stories, so when we listen to the life stories of the guests and share our own, we have a better understanding of reality. This also results in genuine joy and appreciation. Every time I hear the life stories of my guests, I come away from it thinking, “Wow. That shift at ___ was really meaningful”. I remember being amazed at the families of Project Sanctuary when I was belaying them at the climbing wall. Project Sanctuary is a program that holds retreats for returning military men and their families. I was really impacted by the complete joy and love they experienced when being with each other for only a week before the fathers were shipped off again. This last week, I had the privilege of listening to the adoption experiences of the families of Cambodian heritage camp. Yes, we may deal with guests for very brief periods of time, but that doesn’t take away the significance of our interactions with them. Besides, our lives are made up of brief moment after brief moment after brief moment, and if we can’t find the significance in these moments, we are just missing the point.