In a matter of weeks comes a season of college and university
graduations followed by weddings, resumes, and job hunting. On all fronts millions of graduates will be
profiling, putting one’s best face forward for others to see, and casting light on
personal virtues of value one might bring to the marketplace.
It strikes me that there are two kinds of virtues. They are not the same list of
desirable attributes. On job
applications and letters of recommendation we will find such qualities as
strategic thinking, multi-tasking, digital savvy and prowess, prior job
experience, interpersonal skills, management expertise, task efficiency,
responsible follow through, and an otherwise long list of job competencies related to specific fields of employment. The hope is that the very name and reputation
of their college or university will vouch for the value the job candidate brings
to the workplace. These characteristics
we might call Resume' Virtues. They are
all about competence in one’s field or profession honed and cultivated by
universities that aspire to produce graduates of competence.
Resume' virtues stand in contrast to another category of
virtues. There is very little about preparation
for one’s first job success or professional competence that one may hear at a
funeral in the reading of a eulogy.
These characteristics we might call Eulogy Virtues. Such virtues speak to the goodness of a
person, one’s character and heart for others, faithfulness, and kindness,
even purity of spirit. In the Sermon on
the Mount (Matthew 5:3-10) the Beatitudes of Jesus give us a list of Eulogy
virtues: poor in spirit, meekness (humility), righteousness, mercifulness, purity of heart,
peacemaking, willingness to be persecuted because of righteousness. The Apostle Paul gives us another listing in
his letter to the Galatians (5:22&23), the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. What we so often hear in eulogies is what one
did for others, stories of the abandonment of self-interest, sacrifice,
sensitivities to others’ needs, positive actions taken in situations of
compelling moral and ethical dilemmas, generosity of spirit and substance, and
self-denial.
Eulogy virtues are not the stock and trade of most
universities. However, I’ve noticed that
more and more employers are looking for eulogy virtues in graduates they hire
and promote. Their business success
depends on attributes that go beyond competence. They recognize that criminals can be
competent, but lack integrity, honesty, and a sensitivity to the needs and
interests of others. In reality employers are
looking for both types of virtue. Even
more, they hope for the rare combination of competence and character that
transcends either one. They are looking
for wisdom beyond intellect, a wisdom of the head and heart. They seek a combination of humility, perceptive emotional intelligence, and a person's potential for growing in wisdom. Wisdom is a rare gem of inestimable value at any age.
Finally, beyond graduation is yet another season now on our door step. It’s the seemingly never ending campaign and national
election of another US president to job #1. Pray for
candidates with more than an impressive resume' or (eventually) lovely
eulogy. Pray for both. Pray for the wisdom in candidates that brings
the virtues of the resume' and the eulogy together. Pray then for the discernment of
the public to elect a leader with wisdom whose competence and character we can
trust. And pray for families, faith
communities, colleges and universities that can develop wise world leaders for the long run.
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