Job Skills For KidsSample

Jose sat in the principal’s office, nervously tapping his foot on the carpet.

“It’s good to meet you face to face,” the principal said. “I liked reading your application.”

This made Jose feel more confident. “Thanks!” he said. “Being a principal’s helper sounds like fun.”

“What do you think will be fun about it?” the principal asked.

Oh no. Jose was stumped. He couldn’t think of a good answer. He looked around the principal’s office. His eyes rested on a poster of a surfer with the words “be positive.” Jose smiled.

“I guess it would be fun to come here in the morning and help with announcements. It would be fun to meet the other kids and get to know them. You know,” Jose added, smiling at the surfer. “Most things at this school have been pretty fun. I think this would be another fun thing.”

The principal smiled. “I love your positive attitude,” he said. “Congratulations, you’re hired.”

A positive attitude often makes the difference between getting a job and not getting a job. When you have a job, a positive attitude helps you keep it. This is because joy and confidence are contagious—they make the people around you feel better. Paul’s positive, confident attitude towards his friends, the Philippians, inspired them to be confident too. Even though Paul wrote to them from prison, he mentioned the word joy 16 times in one short letter. He started by saying that he prays “with joy in every one of my prayers for you.” This is the type of attitude that wins friends and work opportunities.

If you’re not naturally joyful, do what Paul did. Start with prayer. Ask God to help you “pray with joy.” Think about the people you’ll see today and thank God for them. You can be confident that God will give you a positive attitude because, as Paul writes, “he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

Try this: Say out loud, “I love working. I love whoever I get to work with. Today’s going to be fun!”

Prayer: God, give me joy and confidence in you. May my positive attitude spread to the people around me. Amen.

If you enjoyed this plan, find more plans from the Theology of Work Project at www.theologyofwork.org/devotions