Career != Calling

God spoke through me today. He does that sometimes; I can tell when it happens because I know that, under normal human circumstances, I am not smart enough to come up with the stuff he says through me on my own, and with such immediacy and boldness at that.

"What is our purpose?" a friend had asked me. I pointed her to Galatians 5: You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Christ set us free from slavery, free from sin, so that we can serve one another instead, so that we can bear fruit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

"Then how does that relate to careers?"

"I don't know," I admitted. That was me speaking. But then I felt a fire light up from within. "What I do know is that your identity is not in your career. Your career isn't eternal. It's temporary. It's a small detail in God's plan. Yes, your job may be important, but it's not you. You are first, a Christian. Second, everything else. Paul was an apostle. He was also a tentmaker. He made tents for a living. But no one immediately thinks 'tentmaker' when they think of Paul!"

At that, my friend laughed. "Wasn't Jesus a carpenter?"

"And Peter was a fisherman, and Matthew was a tax collector. But who cares! That's not nearly as important as the fact that they were disciples of Jesus. As Christians we have so many higher callings in life! We are ambassadors, representing the heavenly kingdom on earth. We are soldiers, fighting against the works of the enemy. We are Jesus's bride, preparing ourselves to love and to be loved. We are salt and light, flavoring the world and enlightening it with truth."

It occurred to me then that I had actually never thought of that before; at least, not quite that way. I mean, sure, I knew that Christians were compared to ambassadors, and soldiers, and a bride, and salt, and light, and runners, and newborns, and so many other roles and things throughout Scripture. But while my friend was asking me to piece it all together for her, the Holy Spirit was busy piecing it together for me...

I can't imagine Paul spending much time wondering whether or not he was supposed to be making tents!

I've wasted way too much time worrying over what my "true calling" (read: "non-eternal, non-essential career") ought to be. Know what? It really doesn't matter in the grand scheme of God's plans. What matters, ultimately, is that my actions and choices and behaviors and attitudes be rooted in love for God.