Job, Career, Profession, Vocation

One of the more influential scriptures in my life over the last eight years or so is found in Romans 12:1, 2.

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

As a guy prone to do some thinking, I reflect deeply on what this verse means for me as one who professes to living the confessional life of following Christ.  One of the things it does mean for me is that there is a system currently in operation in the world, regardless of culture, ethnicity, tradition, history and political structure.  That system is in its essence shaped to form people in such a way that they are not prone to worship the living God as He deserves to be worshipped.  This is evident even in countries that profess to be Christian.  So the history of both America and Britain is replete with episodes that highlight that behind the appeal to religion there is the naked ambition for power and control.  In the context of the larger broad strokes of the book of Romans, this is to be expected from the species that has rejected God.

So this world is not set up to help followers of Christ to follow Christ.  That does not mean there are efforts to make the systems amenable to the human effort.  In cultures such as the one in England, there is a significant effort to give the appearance of looking to support the individual make their own way in enjoying life.  Yet behind this too there are underpinning values that don’t give life, but rather stifle it.  Take the welfare system for example.  At its best it is a wonderful system for helping those who are without a job and without the likelihood of getting one to get some semblance of life.  It has a good sentiment in helping the weak.  Administrating the system, however, leads to some pretty brutal and clinical approaches to people and it seems as if there is an ever changing approach to how to deal with the unemployed that never quite addresses the heart of the problem.

The heart of the problem is not even about getting people into sustainable employment, or just slotting them into any old job.  It is the problem that rears its ugly head any time a God-given initiative is divorced from God.  That God-given initiative is the one to work.  When man was made, he was given the responsibility to tend to the garden – this is the call to work.  Within the call was something of far greater value, understanding the heart of God to create and diligently work on that which has been created.

What we have now, though, is more of a focus on turning people into economic machines whose value is measured by their ability to contribute to the enriching of the economy.  It no longer is about what is God calling you to work on, it’s not even sometimes about there being a call in the first place, it’s more about meeting your felt needs even at the cost of that greater calling on your life.  So it’s no wonder that few actually ever find true job satisfaction, because such concerns have been defined narrowly and more individualistically minded, rather than in the context of being created by God to work not just for the self but for the glory of God in community.

The answer then to the problem requires an entire overhaul of an approach to the system that is still about working to live, where life is defined by the confines of a job or a career or even the high-faluted concept of a profession.  Returning to connecting with God puts everything in perspective.  It is no longer about everyone needing to get full-time paid employment that is sustainable or part of a corporate push up a ladder.  It is now an appreciation for the life that is lived for the glory of God as seen in community.  If that means being a full-time parent – that should be great, even if it is sniffed at by society.  If that means part time ‘menial’ employment whilst expressing the vocation on a voluntary basis, that should be applauded rather than succumbing to the drive to be shaped by the systems of the world.

It merits a man nothing to gain the world and lose his soul, so it would be better to dedicate life to following the call of God on life, wherever that may lead.

For His Name’s Sake

Shalom

dmcd