What Would You Do For A Job?

I’ve been asking myself this question recently on a number of levels. In just a moment and in unusual order, I’ll start with the answer and work backwards.

First you need to know that I have been unexpectedly unemployed for the last three months. For the first time since I was 14 years old I found myself without a job.

So what would you do for a job? Would you shave for a job? For me, this was a more difficult question than you might imagine. I’ve had a beard (more or less) for the 9 years we’ve lived in Georgia… and other times before that, too. Ultimately, the answer was, “Yes.”

I love a number of things pretty deeply. Sticking with the reverse order that we’ve already established, they include things like baseball, my friends, my life’s work, my family, and following Jesus. So what does any of that have to do with the original question? Everything.

Ok… maybe not the baseball part, but everything else. It is not by mistake (for me) that #’s one and three (in the above reverse order scheme) are inextricably linked. If you’ll allow me a moment of pause, I’ll deal with #2, which will allow me to close this strange reverse-order loop. #2 is my family. A bit strange to put family second? Well, only if you don’t know how connected I am to Jesus. My relationship to him literally informs all of my other relationships. So the somewhat obvious answer to the initial question as it relates to reverse-order #2 (my family) is… just about anything… as long as it is legal and does not compromise my connection to #’s 1 and 3.

All of the above banter leads me happily back to a discussion of the real answer to the posed question. And leans into another simple question… why? Why was I willing to do pretty much anything to be employed again? One, because I love my family and I am responsible to help provide for them. But the biggest reason I was willing to do just about anything was because I believe that doing what you have to do helps pave the road for where you really want to go.

That #3 thing about my life’s work is tied directly to #1. I believe that God placed me on this earth to do and be something unique for him. My desire has always been to help Christians grow in their faith by better understanding the Bible and learning to live it out in real time. I have a different way of seeing life that has allowed (no, demanded) me to have friendships with many people who do not see faith the same as me. So, everything in this post before this sentence is completed by this simple statement. I would do just about anything vocationally that enables me to pursue my life’s work. Whatever that is for you… do that.

As of tomorrow morning, say hello to the newest Event Planner at Publix Store #560 in Peachtree Corners, GA.