The governor of North Carolina once called Thomas Edison a great inventor. But Mr. Edison resisted the title. He said, “I am not a great inventor.”

The governor said, “But you have more than a thousand patents to your credit!”

Edison said, “Well, I am a good sponge. I absorb ideas from every source I can and put them to practical use. Then I improve them until they become of some value. My ideas are mostly the ideas of other people who didn’t use them.”

This is Howard Butt, Jr., of Laity Lodge. How many of our triumphs fail to materialize because we quit too soon? Thomas Edison proves that more than genius, tenacity turns on the lights . . . in the high calling of our daily work.

Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

(James 1:4)

Edison and Ideas

TheHighCalling.org seeks to create opportunities for Christian leaders to encounter God through new media tools for the transformation of daily life, work, and our world. Christian leaders are in all aspects and activities of daily life—including home, community, leisure, as well as occupation. 

The High Calling was started by the H. E. Butt Foundation and is now a program of the Theology of Work Project. We share stories and devotions that inspire people to see connections between work, life, and God. Our motto is “Every day conversations about work, life, and God.” We accomplish our mission when we:

*Provide free faith-and-work content for personal and small group study, for sermon outlines, and for daily reflection.

*Utilize trained editors who read, comment on, promote, and link to material when it represents our mission.

*Promote this collection of encouraging and helpful resources.

*Demonstrate outrageous hospitality through online presence.

*Offer access to a diverse, worldwide community seeking purpose for life and work.