Thinking about work

A question was asked of me, What does the word “vocation” mean to you, and how does “vocation” compare or contrast with your idea of “career”?

 Upon reflection, it seems to me that this goes to the derivation of each word, both of which have Latin roots.  Vocation is from the Latin verb 'vocare' which is to call or to summon, more specifically from one of the verb's passive past tense, having been summoned.  Career is from the Latin noun 'carrus', a wagon.  The former is a verb that denotes action while the latter is an object.  'Vocare' demands an action response because as a transitive verb it must have an object. The use of 'vocare' is meaningless without an object which is called or summoned.  'Carrus' is an object designed to carry something or someone.  Herein lies the difference.

Vocation sees that work is something which, ultimately, serves me.  Work is something which I am summoned, something not as punishment but as a means to completeness.  Work is primarily intended as the means by which I demonstrate that I am made in the image of God for work involves the act of creating.  Vocation signals work as that part of life that serves to lead me to the state of blessedness that God intends.  Vocation is something that I accept as a gift intended to build me up, to make me complete. 

A career, on the other hand, sees work as something designed which will 'carry' me through life.  A career is something that exists that allows me to survive rather than something which calls me to a higher life.  Work exists prior to me and is something for which I must be prepared.  I am made worthy of a career by means of education and training, I serve it, it does not serve me beyond providing income so that I might come back the next day. 

Vocation says work is made for me and my benefit.  To think of work as a career says I am made for work.  A career limits work to meeting the lowest of Maslow's hierarchy of needs for a career is little more than a means by which one obtains food, clothing, and shelter; work is understood solely in the objective sense.  Vocation, on the other hand, is the means, possibly the most important means, by which one reaches the top of Maslow's hierarchy and becomes a self-actualizing individual.  Vocation understands work in the subjective sense.

To be sure, both the objective and subjective sense are necessary for a complete understanding of work.  But with a free-market mentality coming to dominate how we see the world, the subjective sense of work is marginalized if not completely lost.  As the objective sense of work dominates and a competitive market mentality prevades, jobs begin to be judged on how much income they earn rather than seeing each as vital to the whole.  In an episode of a popular TV show, a woman is embarassed and does not want her boy friend to tell people he is a garbage collector for her friends are all dating 'respectable' professionals.  Yet the boy friend is happy with his vocation for he sees it as contributing to society's good and that makes him complete.  

It seems to be time to begin seeing all work as vocation and move away from chasing careers. By seeing work as vocation we can begin seeing the unique dignity of each and every individual.