Terrorist Attack in Garland, Texas

After musing upon last night’s events here in Garland and reading dozens of fiery posts about our “rights” to deliberately offend other people and groups with our words and actions, I keep coming back to this:

“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” (Col 4:5-6)

“But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12:36-37)

“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” (Romans 12:18)

“For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.” (1 Cor 9:19-23)

© 2015 Deborah Morris

Questions or Comments?

Lately I’ve been troubled by a subtle but damaging assumption among many Christians about the “right” job/education/career trajectory for young people.

It goes like this: Everyone goes to college. Everyone gets a degree (hopefully advanced). Everyone finds a career where they can work with their mind instead of their hands. Anything less is… well, less. Less smart, less valuable. Less. So we automatically rule out the “lesser” vocations–callings–that might, although honorable, lead in an entirely different direction along an entirely different path.

In reading through Exodus, though, I’ve been repeatedly struck by God’s deep respect for workers as He employs their unique skills:

“All who are skilled among you are to come and make everything the Lord has commanded.”

“Every skilled woman spun with her hands and brought what she had spun—blue, purple or scarlet yarn or fine linen.”

“Then Moses said to the Israelites, ‘See, the Lord has chosen Bezalel…. and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills— to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of artistic crafts. And he has given both him and Oholiab ….the ability to teach others. He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as engravers, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and weavers—all of them skilled workers and designers.'”

“They also made the sacred anointing oil and the pure, fragrant incense—the work of a perfumer.” (Exodus 35 – 37)

Martin Luther makes a related point about “lesser” secular work vs religious ministry:

“The maid who sweeps her kitchen is doing the will of God just as much as the monk who prays–not because she may sing a Christian hymn as she sweeps but because God loves clean floors. The Christian shoemaker does his Christian duty not by putting little crosses on the shoes, but by making good shoes, because God is interested in good craftsmanship.”

My point is this: God doesn’t have a one-size-fits-all formula for any of us, including our kids. The “right” job/education/career is the one God calls us to, whatever it may be.

“Do you see someone skilled in their work? They will serve before kings; they will not serve before officials of low rank.” (Proverbs) 22:29

© 2014 Deborah Morris

Questions or Comments?