The Best Profession in the Word
When I was 21, I left the job every person would dream of to become a full-time Christian worker. One day, I passed from being a diplomat with a special passport and privileges in Milan to being a church planter in Alberobello, Italy, depending on “donations .” I soon discovered that people looked at me in a very different way from before. People whose opinions I valued the most.
After I left my job in Milan, many family members despised me because of my choice. In their eyes, I became an object of ridicule. Being so young, I can’t deny that I was deeply affected by others’ opinions. It took me years of walking with the Lord to be set free and root my identity only on His view of me.
Many years later, the Lord brought me back to the corporate world. Even more, He also restored me to a place of significant influence, as I am working with one of the most prestigious financial companies in the world, advising families and business owners. Suddenly, I became admired by those same people who used to despise me.
In reality, I am still the same person, and, thank God, I still have the same priorities. As a tentmaker and Christian worker, it is easy to struggle with identity conflicts. Who am I? Who I am is not the sum of my degrees, the Fortune 500 Company I work with today, or my ministry successes or failures. Who I am is who God says I am. My real job is being a “Martyr” – a witness. That is the core of the reason I am on earth. That’s my real job description. Because of this, I am truly free. I can be a witness of God’s glory right in the heart of Wall Street if that is where God wants me. Or I can go back to being a full-time missionary. My identity is not defined by the job I do. But by God, who chooses where to place me for His glory.
What about you? What type of job are you doing right now? Is that job the source of your identity? Don’t let what you do (or how much you own, or your looks, and so forth) define who you are. Embrace your identity as a witness and recognize that it is your primary responsibility, no matter where the Lord will lead you. He will put us up or down according to His plans. None of it matters. We are helpful to His kingdom as long as we are in the position He wants us to be.
Comments
Thanks for the post!