From “The Language of the Soul: Meeting God in the Longings of Our Hearts” by Jeff Crosby
I first encountered Chalmers by reading Ben Patterson’s book, The Grand Essentials. In it, Patterson quoted Thomas Chalmers as having said, “The grand essentials of happiness are: something to do, something to love, and something to hope for.”
Just four years into my career in bookselling and publishing, I discovered Patteron’s book. This former Presbyterian pastor and long-term college campus chaplain wrote with depth and wisdom, and the book has framed my approach to and my understanding of work ever since. I’ve read it so many times, the yellowed, marked-up paper is literally falling out of its binding and the book is held together by rubber bands.
For years until my supply ran out and couldn’t be replenished, I gave a booklet-length excerpt of Patterson’s book to every new employee I hired and asked them to read it and dialogue with me about it as part of their orientation to our work together. Patterson masterfully broke down the dichotomies that seemed to plague the lives of the men I talked to at that ranch long ago, and demonstrated the strong connection between our work and our worship of the living God:
- Something to do: our occupations (which we are paid for) and our vocations (which may or may not be what we derive income from)
- Something to love: God, our families, our friends, our neighbors, God’s purposes in the world
- Something to hope for: ultimate restoration, reconciliation, shalom, all things being made right one day, some way