Your Profession, Your Faith

As Christians, we are faced with making important life choices of which selecting a profession or vocation is critical. The Word of God demonstrates that working to earn a living is compatible with the Christian faith. The Book of Proverbs admonishes that “A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man” (Proverbs 24: 33-34). It is therefore not surprising that the Bible is replete with several examples of characters who were part of specific professions. These include two sets of brothers—Peter and Andrew, as well as James and John who were fishermen; Joseph, Jesus’ father who was a carpenter; Luke, a doctor; and Paul, a lawyer, and tentmaker. In His wisdom, God uses our professional talents to advance the work of His kingdom. For instance, Jesus told the disciples who were “fishermen” that they will become “fishers of men.” It is known that while several of Jesus’ disciples later became full-time evangelists and church workers, several of them used their professional skills to support themselves financially. Paul used his skills as a lawyer to defend the gospel and to begin a successful mission among the gentiles; he also worked with Priscilla and Aquila as a tentmaker (Act 18: 1-3).

As a child, I kept a wish list of things I wanted to do when I grew up. I was very attracted to caring for people, especially children, and wished I could become a nurse. I also relished the thought of being a newscaster and often pretended to read the news as I stood in front of a mirror. 

 My high school experience and performance were, however, the real determinants of the path I was to take. I found at that time that I was not wired to do anything “sciencey” and that my natural trajectory lay in social sciences. My best subjects were History and English literature. Based on my interest in social justice issues — especially those affecting the poor, women, and children — I decided to work towards grades that would earn me a place in law school. This was confirmed by the spiritual peace I experienced upon gaining admission. 

 My passion for social justice served as the main ingredient for my choice of employment in the years ahead. Firstly, working as a legal aid officer with the Ghana Legal Aid Board (GLAB), providing legal assistance to poor women and children. I found a strong link between my profession and my faith, as the assistance provided by GLAB corrected injustices such as the denial of education, nutrition, and health to a child. The foundational experience laid through GLAB was instrumental to regional and global experience that I would later gain.  

 More importantly, I found that the Lord can translate talents and professional experiences into resources for the Church. In my case, a deep interest in children’s rights influenced my choice to serve as a children’s Sunday school teacher.  

 To young people in high school, I encourage you to work hard to realize your dreams and full potential. Your SAT scores and your service to your community will go a long way in determining where you will attend college, where you will work, and what you will become. Follow your instincts. For example, if you are blessed with artistic skills, your road to success could lie in areas such as textile design and architecture. Are you a compassionate person? Your trajectory could lay in pastoral work, law, nursing, or medicine. Whatever you decide, you will experience the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, and more importantly, your talents and skills will be deployed in support of God’s Kingdom.