Life at a "Secular" Job

Through the years, I've heard folks say, directly or indirectly, that the way to honor God the most is through being an "official" missionary or serving on a church staff. To some extent, I've found myself believing this and thinking I will eventually come to a place in life where I'll be doing "full-time" ministry.

The trouble with this thinking, though, is that most every profession can honor God. Doesn't the Bible say, "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men"(Colossians 3:23)? With that in mind, is there really a distinction between "secular" and "spiritual" work in the Bible, as so many seem to believe today?

I recently attended the 2007 KOTESOL(Korea Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages). A number of polished presentations were given, and some of these helped to motivate me to improve the courses I've been teaching. That was helpful, as it's always nice to have a gentle "push" to get me refocused on my profession. Yet, this time at KOTESOL I really felt God reminding me that I am in Korea to glorify Him. I went away from this conference not only with a feeling of vocational renewal, but with a greater sense of purpose for what God wants me to do for the foreseeable future!

Some of you are aware that I have some leadership responsibilities that go with my English teaching in Korea. My administrative title is "scheduler", as I help to plan out courses for 19 English professors. This part of my job is not something I would have ever sought on my own, as whoever does it can sometimes feel like there's a target painted on their back. Simply put, there seems to be nothing "spiritual" about scheduling for others. Yet, my time at the conference reminded me that this stewardship is a privilege from God intended to further my own professional and personal growth.

While at the conference, I also felt inspired to design a couple of courses for my dept. One of my colleagues has suggested I consider doing this in the past, though I've never really had a clear idea about what course(s) I wanted to help put together. However, now I do, and I hope to develop some concepts further over the winter break. One of these may even draw upon my seminary training, and I'm especially excited about that!

Another thing I felt at this year's KOTESOL is that I should develop a stronger prayer life re: others who work in my profession. Numerous individuals involved with English education are not believers, and some are even admantly opposed to the faith we profess. Yet, I must develop Jesus' heart for the lost and realize that He came to die for them just as much as He came to die for me(cf. 1 John 2:2)

Before leaving Seoul, I met with a couple who have previously graduated from my university. The husband was a student of mine, and he and his wife were just married in early October. However, they already are experiencing some conflict issues which they wanted to share with me. This whole conversation reminded me that God has a ministry for me among the students here, and that ministry is made possible through my "secular" role as professor.