Administrative Professional Day

Serve one another in love (Galatians 5:13).

I remember when every office had a secretary. It was a secretary who welcomed me when I came in for a job application. It was that same secretary who made me feel welcome after I got hired. She took dictation from the boss, typed everyone’s reports, and still made time to chat with anyone who passed by her desk. Even though I haven’t seen her in decades, I still have fond memories of that secretary—she was a valuable employee.

These days you wouldn’t call her a secretary—she would have the title of Administrative Professional. Of course, her duties would still be pretty much the same. She wouldn’t get a pay hike to go along with the fancy title. But no matter what name you hang on the position, anyone who does this job well is an asset to the company and will always be remembered with a smile.

Many jobs have been renamed over the years. Janitors became custodians. Garbage men are now sanitation engineers. Clerks have been replaced by sales associates. It’s as if we are ashamed to do work that serves the needs of others.

Jesus is our Savior. He said, the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28). Christ was not embarrassed by His job title. Paul says that although Jesus was God in every way, He did not insist on being treated as God; when He came to earth, He assumed the role of a servant, ministering to our needs even when that ministry involved ridicule, persecution, mistreatment and death. For Jesus, it was all about the work; prestige was irrelevant.

Jesus showed us that there is no higher calling than to serve others. He said, If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all (Mark 9:35). Jesus would find no shame in a title like secretary; if a job helps others, the job is a good one—titles don’t matter.

This week, we honor those people who help us in the office. Whether you call them a secretary, an administrative professional, or something else, the important thing to remember is this—when a person serves others, they are doing an honorable thing.