Are there people that are just not good at anything?

I have thought a lot about this particular question in light of a couple of areas in my own life personally. I am a seminary student and I also work a full-time job for a major corporation.

On the academic front, there are people (both students and professors) that are very gifted and intelligent people. They are able to command the respect of their peers and other colleagues because of their intellectual prowess. Then there are others who are not extremely gifted, not eloquent speakers, but they work hard and put long hours into their studies. They may get an "A" for effort, but they will never be recognized as persons with great intellect or talent.

In the workplace, there are people who seem to be promoted at the drop of a hat, everytime there is an opening, these individuals seem to get the opportunity. It does not matter that they do not possess the business acumen or the practical experience, or in some cases higher education to obtain these promotions. Then there are those people who will work the same job for 15-20 years, never moving, never advancing. Do these people lack ambition or do they just feel like there is no place for them outside of their current position? Then you read about the guy who started out in the mailroom or on the lowest level of the food chain, and then he somehow has worked his way up to being CEO or head of the entire company. What is the difference between these two individuals? Is it motivation? Is it education? Is it intelligence?

I really do not know if these questions can be answered in either the academic realm or the workplace, but I am reminded of the passage from I Corinthians 1:26-31:

For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise: and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him, are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God, is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according to as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. [Quotation from the King James Version]

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Daily Musings

There are several different things on my mind today, so I will try to address each one in this post.

Does anyone know the difference between Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable?

This is a major pet-peeve of mine. In my job I have to call various facilities to follow up on past due balances. I always identify myself and the company that I work for and let the person who is answering the phone that I need to speak with someone in Accounts Payable. More often than not, I get transferred to the Accounts Receivable folks and then they get frustrated because they have to transfer me to the right person. I never thought that the difference was that difficult, but I guess it is for some people!

Frustrated!

That is an understatement for me this week. I am supposed to be designing some slides for our worship services at church, but the people who comprise the team have not contacted me with any information. I called a friend of mine who I thought might have some insight. I learned that I was lacking in tools, did not know the deadlines or procedures, etc. But they want this stuff done by Sunday.. Good luck on that one. And we wonder why things are so messed up in society and Fundamentalism. Maybe because we do not know how to effectively communicate with people (case in point) and maybe we just expect too much. Lesson learned: If you want someone to do something, please communicate your expectations clearly and in advance, do not dump a load on someone and expect them to work a miracle at the last minute.

Abuse

It is unbelievable the amount of abuse that is hurled to people who answer the telephone. As I mentioned earlier, I work in the Credit and Collections department and our job basically is to collect money from customers who are delinquent. In addition to making calls, we also take incoming calls. I have been called a liar more than once, even though I never lied to the individual. I have been hung up on, yelled at, cussed once and a host of other things. I just cannot believe that people can be so rude and they do not give anyone a chance. In comparison, the people that get abused more than collectors are those folks who work in customer service. Next time, you call a company for something, please remember that those folks who answer the phones are hardworking people just like you are and they do not deserve your abuse.

Galatians 6

I have been thinking about this passage a lot lately. I do not know what the product will be of my thoughts or reading, maybe a future sermon or lesson.. Just enjoying the time to meditate on this passage.