One of the most persistent refrains of the past few years in regard to work has been the personal skills toolbox. According to many, if you hope to succeed in your field then it is a given that you will want to expand the variety and application of tools in said box. That is grand for vocational employment where the notion can be taken quite literally, but it’s a whole ‘nother animal when we apply ourselves to less distinct parameters that include change as a moving target.

To borrow a few well-worn clichés, we get thrust from our comfort zones and must figure out how to work outside the box, unpacking deeper meanings as we go. As the old joke queries, “What is the difference between a plumber and an attorney?” The plumber inquires, “Does it leak anymore?” The attorney responds, “What would you like it to do?” We all are part plumbers and part attorneys these days, and if that exasperates us, then we need only wait until tomorrow’s uncharted playing field to begin anew. We discover that it greatly matters what is in our toolbox and how we deploy its contents. Here is what I hope many of you will find.

Patience. In a world of easy religion and quick fixes, it’s tempting to simply say “let go and let God” though I’m sure God would be happy with us actually participating in the process from time-to-time instead of leaving all the heavy lifting to someone else. If patience is not a part of faith, then we need to back up and reevaluate our position.

Forbearance. A world of one mind would be a rather awful place. Conform or die would be its motto. The vitality that diversity brings to our small personal self-absorbed worlds cannot be overstated. Where would we be if there were no room for robust debate and democratic discourse? Facing and embracing diversity leads ultimately to …

Forgiveness. To forgive others requires first forgiving oneself. We all have regrets for those cringe worthy moments in our lives, moments when we admittedly failed to live up to our better selves. Such moments can be difficult to get past or at least set to one side in order for us to step around. When we once more begin loving our imperfect self, we discover how much easier it is to extend that forgiveness to those around us.

Lovingkindness. Acknowledging the gift of forgiveness is to grasp the concept of lovingkindness. Lovingkindess is a lifestyle orientation that sustains and lifts up rather than complains and tears down. It is the faith, hope and love of 1 Corinthians 13, an aggregate of God’s fondest calling for us.

Don’t clutter your religious toolbox with a lot of gizmos and gadgets. Get to the tried and true, the most helpful tools, never forgetting that each has its propriety. Once secure in that knowledge, permit yourself the opportunity to explore what other tools might be present, even if we don’t recognize them as helpful in the moment. We might even discover that the toolbox looks nothing like we expected on the outside, or that its contents are a total surprise on the inside. Sounds a little bit how God operates doesn’t it?