I once had a job that required me to do 8 hours of mindless filing of legal updates a day.  Anyone who has had experience at this will tell you that it is some of the most mind-numbing work one can do.  I was working for a contractor at the time.  The businesses often contracted this work out because no one there wanted to do it.  I would spend long hours leafing through stacks of updates watching the clock.

I have moved on since then, and have furthered my career.  Still, I prefer some parts of my job to others.  I am a creative person and a visionary, so repetitive tasks are always a challenge for me, but every job has them.  However, I have found these tasks to be great places to learn obedience.

Obedience is a dirty word today.  We all want to be autonomous.  We want to be our own masters.  Obedience is for those who do not make it.  As much as I still struggle with obedience, I have found it to be essential to having peace in the world. We live with others, and if we are going to get along, we must be willing to forgo some of our autonomy for the sake of community.  We can't all get our way all the time.  Too often our separate wills are mutually exclusive. Someone has to yield.

obedience says that, although I have a certain amount of right to do things my way, I will submit to the desires of another.  This can only be done out of love.  If I love my church, I will not be aggravated if my favorite songs are not sung.  If I love my workplace, I will not become territorial, but will work cordially with my coworkers and supervisors.

obedience is not easy.  It will test us.  It will also make us better and freer people