(If I may steal an introductory point from Daniel Ostendorff) There is one question that plagues practically all modern college students: “What is your major?” While it is a great question that helps quickly identify not only interest but schedule, work load, certain social interaction, hopes of career, and personality, I believe there is far too much emphasis put on this query. Because were not just asking “What is your major?”, there are several more questions that go along with such a question: What will you do with it? What kind of job do you want? What kind of person are you? What do you hope to accomplish in life? All of these are implied by those four simple words. And it does not stop after college: “What is your job?” comes next, with even more implications to be made.
But should it be so? Should we really be so defined by things like major or job? Such questions are our way of characterizing and categorizing people, and are in a sense both smart and necessary. But at the same time they can make us forget that we are PEOPLE. Not jobs. But it’s not the questions’ fault – it is our entire mindset. This world defines everything we are by what we do – even in Donald Miller’s “A Million Miles in a Thousand Years”, he says that “A character is what he does”. But on this I must disagree with Miller. A character is not ONLY what he does. “What” is not the only question, and when defining a person we mustn’t simply stop with “What” they do. We must delve deeper and ask my favorite question – “Why?”
Why is that your major? Why do you want that job? Why are you doing that? Why do you want what you want? All of these are, in my mind, much more important questions than the afore mentioned “what” questions, because they reveal something about the actual person – their intentions, motivations, and inner thought on the subject. And in the end, the answers to these “why” questions make a big difference; Two different people could be doing the same thing for different reasons. A person might say they are a political science major, or a politician, and that might tell you a little. But if you ask “why?” they might say because it pays well, or they want power, or the want to help people in need. And each of these would tell you a little bit more. All of these “Why” questions, however, ultimately lead even further down to another form of inquiry: “Who?”
“Who are you?” That is the question we really mean to ask. And it is a very meaningful question indeed. Because who you as is more than what you do and more than why you do it – it is a completely different kind of question, and can be very hard to answer. For the Christian, however, it does not even stop there. In order to answer the question “Who am I?” We must first answer another: “Who is God?” And this is when we really get down to it. Because it doesn’t matter what your job is or why you have that job or even who you are unless all of it is in relation to something bigger and more meaningful than your little mortal helpless self.
This is because of who God is; the source of all creation and identity and meaning and life. As John Calvin said in his Institutes “Without the knowledge of God there is no knowledge of self”. As image bearers of God and redeemed souls we must not define ourselves by our actions. If we did so, we would all be damned. But through the freedom of Christ we have an identity separate from our actions – one that has real meaning, and is founded is God himself.
All this to say – In Os Guinness’ book Rising to the Call Oswald Chambers is quoted to have said “The greatest competitor of devotion to Jesus is service for Him.” That is, we are so deceived by this world’s emphasis on works that we put more stock and importance on our work for Christ that we forget our true identity. We are so concerned with our action and intentions – our what and why – that we forget that all that really matters is who. Who we are and who Christ is. It is easy for a Christian to become concerned with reaching the lost and giving to the poor and such ministries that they overwork themselves and sacrifice their own spiritual well being and focus on Christ. We focus on what WE are doing and not what CHRIST has done. All of our service to Christ is a response – it is never an action by itself.
There is no way that any action we make can make God love us more – He already loves us with the utmost love – an inconceivable amount. Our service to Him is not to win an award or to prove our love to Him, but to grow closer to His love by experiencing it in our lives – by loving others and having faith. He does not need our service – we do.
“And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.” Phil. 1:9-11 (NIV)
I’ve been asked to follow this with some practical examples. Here’s an easy one: becoming overcommitted to serving the community (whether the city, the school, a club, or just a group of friends) to the point where it no longer brings you closer to God. Doing hard work and being tired is different than doing more work that you should. Being tired allows you to rest in God and gain His strength. Working hard exercises you the way he made you. Over extending yourself, on the other hand, is draining without refilling. It’s a different level for everyone, so it is hard to define. For a college student it might be becoming involved with too many campus ministries and groups because they all do good work for God. God may want you to just focus on your studies, and that’s ok.
Questions: How do you know how much is too much? What happens when you don’t feel like you’re growing closer to God? How do you know what He wants you to persevere through and what He wants you to leave for someone else to accomplish?
Answers: I don’t know. With God’s help, maybe I can strive to find out.
Kel
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