If you ever think your job is too stressful, John 7 is as a good chapter to read:
1After these things Jesus was walking in Galilee, for He was unwilling to walk in Judea because the Jews were seeking to kill Him.2Now the feast of the Jews, the Feast of Booths, was near. 3Therefore His brothers said to Him, “Leave here and go into Judea, so that Your disciples also may see Your works which You are doing. 4“For no one does anything in secret when he himself seeks to be known publicly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.” 5For not even His brothers were believing in Him.
Here, Jesus is doing the job he was sent to do, teaching people, healing them, and revealing to them who He was. No easy task. But add to all that that He was doing all these things while there was a group of people trying to kill Him.
Sometimes, I think about the different stressors in my work and in my life, then I think about Jesus. What if I had to do my job while looking over my shoulder knowing there was a group of people looking for an opportunity to kill me?
And then consider that Jesus also had some family-relational issues. His own brothers did not believe He was who He said He was and was mocking him as He attempted to do the job He was called to do. Their suggestion to Jesus that he go down to Judea (“…so that Your disciples may also see Your works which You are doing”) then seems to be sarcastic at best. I wonder if Jesus’ brothers had heard the Jewish leaders in Judea were seeking to kill Jesus. If so, that makes their suggestion that Jesus go to Judea far worse than sarcastic.
Dealing with work-related stress can sometimes seem like a lonely task. Next time you are feeling the stress at work, consider Jesus. It will add some perspective. GS