You’ll notice as a part of my profile I talk about Jesus. He is the most important thing to me, and just because I haven’t mentioned him yet, doesn’t mean he’s been left out of the career piece of my life. On the contrary, in the same way that I don’t know how to go to a job and have it just be a job, or have co-workers that are just random people I spend my day with, I also don’t know how to check Christianity at the door when I go to work. I believe in Jesus Christ and that is the very core of who I am. What that means is when I’m making decisions or encountering a situation, I am usually 1) Praying and 2) Trying to decide how to enter that situation being the best example of Christ I can possibly be. Jesus loves and gives grace to me. I am definitely flawed and have my fair share of weaknesses (I’m sure you’ve figured out plenty of them already). I want to approach every relationship – even at work – with the same love and grace that Jesus gives me.
Many people I know and love, including my husband, work in ministry. That means that the places of their employment generally have Christ inter-woven throughout their values and the day-to-day operations of the business. It is hard for me to have different expectations than that in my jobs. I function and think as a Christian, yet I have to remember that my co-workers and business owners do not always function and think like Evangelical Christians. They may be Catholics, Athiests, Muslims etc. etc. Would I love for them to understand the love and grace that Christ has for them, certainly! I still can’t expect them to function and enter situations as Christians. I have always felt called to work in a job outside of a church or specific ministry. I appreciate the people that listen to their calling to work in those areas, I just don’t feel like that is where my calling is. I think the two work environments come with different challenges. So my personal challenge for today is this…
If I feel called to work in a job outside of ministry, what does it look like to live and love as a Christ-follower and yet not expect those around me to live and love as Christians do?
Em I've been thinking about this a lot since you posted and I'm going to share something that I struggle with. I am a teacher (gone to college, passed my praxis, certified teacher). I tutor home schooled children. Many of my tutor students are members of my Dad's youth group. I've been asked if we will send Maxwell to public school and my answer is always this: "Of course!" Not only is it a great place for him to build skills interacting with different personalities, but it will strengthen his relationship with God. He will be challenged, but also get the opportunity to share his love for God with other people and be a good example. I just feel like this is what God tells us to do. Go into the world and spread and share his love...though uncomfortable and difficult to understand at times this is our mission. I'm sure this clears nothing up for you, but I just had to put it out there. :) Good Luck in the job hunt!
ReplyDeleteThanks Jess! I really appreciate your thoughts!
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