I started reading a new short book this past week. The title of the book is “Jobs to Be Done,” and the idea behind the book is that people inherently look at things in their lives as “jobs to be done,” and then “hire” different things or people to do those jobs. For instance, the researcher famously noticed that people in New York were buying milkshakes from McDonalds at seemingly odd early morning hours – like before 8:30am.

These people weren’t just secret ice cream addicts who needed their fix before they even got to work. Instead, they were people who were mostly commuting over 28 minutes into New York City from other far flung suburbs. Because they were commuting into work they needed something that would keep them busy during the drive, something sweet and filling for breakfast, and something that wasn’t going to have them pulling over halfway through their commute to use the bathroom like a cup of coffee would. They had figured out that the McDonalds milkshake was the best “hire” for the job.

It brings up an interesting reflection question for Christians I think. What are the “jobs” that we are “hiring” Jesus to do in our lives? What are the “jobs” that non-Christians might want solved – but they don’t know who can fulfill those jobs?

At some level, the question is not the best. Jesus isn’t a “product” and shouldn’t be reduced to such — but He probably is sometimes. And He does do plenty for us. He provides us with a feeling of freedom from guilt, He provides us the feeling of belonging to His Body. He provides us with a feeling of purpose. But the amazing thing is that we don’t hire Him for those reasons. Rather, He hires us. He is the one who is “paying” for the “product” and He is paying for us with His own life, His own Blood, His own Body.

We’re not just a job to be done to Him, rather He did a job – the job of winning our salvation – so that we could be His. That’s a job worth thanking Him for day after day.