From early on, you may have been asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” When you were really young, your response probably was based on your love and passions. For example, you may have wanted to be a veterinarian because you loved animals. But as you got older, your career choice was likely to be very different.
I never was motivated by money when deciding on my career. I always wanted to help people. But as I became more advanced in my career, I started to connect my value to money. I wouldn’t even consider a low paying job because my expertise and time were worth more (money).
The world is notorious for linking value to money or financial assets. Big salaries, big houses, and fancy cars. I have never been into these things with my simple lifestyle, yet, I too fell into the trap of linking my value to money.
I wasn’t controlled by money, I didn’t worship money, and I never idoled money. The problem was I developed this false value because I was missing the ONE thing that holds our value – Jesus Christ.
Recently, I applied to a local coffee shop. The hourly pay was 1/3 of my previous job as a professor and much less if you consider benefits and fulltime salary. I never would’ve considered applying for this job when I was still making a high salary. But I felt led to apply to this particular job. I was not sure if I was in an Abraham & Isaac situation where my faith was being tested but I knew if the Lord wanted me to work at the coffee shop, then I was going to obey.
After applying, I started to question if the coffee shop job is what I should do. Wouldn’t it be better to work part time at a higher paying rate since I have the credentials? That seemed to make more sense. Except there was one major problem; that is not where I felt God wanted me to be. Even with this stronger feeling, I still struggled with the idea of physically going to a location for many hours making much less money (than maybe a remote skilled position based on my qualifications).
I had been praying about this and while on my evening walk, I felt the Lord answer, “You find your value in money, not in Me.” OUCH! I began weeping immediately. He was right (as He always is).
During my years as a non-believer, I tried to define my worth by worldly things. People may hold their value in money, their looks, how much attention they get from others, their physical abilities and talents. But your value is in Christ. You are the righteousness of God! You can take all the money and assets in the world and it will never come close to your value when you have Jesus Christ.
For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
2 Corinthians 5:21 (NKJV)
God may call you to be a CEO of a company where you make a six-digit salary, or He may call you to the missions field where you don’t have any salary. There are many times you won’t understand your circumstances but keep your trust in Him (Proverbs 3:5-6). God only gives His best.
What is God calling you to do?
