Professional Christian?

I met a new friend a while at a Women’s fellowship event. She is a single woman. Never been married. When I compared her “singleness” to another friend, that friend said, “Oh no, she is nothing like me.” Of course she is, I said. She has never been married and neither have you. To which my friend replied, something to effect of, “she is much more Christian than me.” We all laughed and my new friend said, “Yep, that’s me….I am a Professional Christian.”

That stuck with me. What would it mean to be a Professional Christian. I know what it looks like to be a Professional Athlete or a Professional Speaker, but I hadn’t ever thought about what it means to be a Professional Christian. So, I started thinking about the traits of anyone who calls themselves a “Professional” at anything. They would, I imagine:

• Be completely dedicated to that work, 
• Be passionate about their work, 
• Be completely committed to their leadership or their team, 
• Never tire of learning about how to be more “professional,”
• Work every day to perfect their skill, 
• Be quick to tell everyone they meet about their Profession
• Be confident, yet humble

I am very confident in the work I do and, in my ability, to accomplish anything to which I set my mind. As of recent years, I had always gotten every job for which I interviewed. I am a Professional! I am dedicated, passionate, committed, a lifelong learner, and confident. I wonder if just saying those things indicates I need to work on being more humble. However, a little over a year ago, I interviewed and was turned away for a second time from an opportunity for the same position. I was originally in the top 3. Now I found myself dead last. I’m not accustomed to coming in last at anything I wanted. The first candidate turned the job down, the second will be interviewing this week. If that one doesn’t work out, then maybe I will get my chance is what I said to myself. I can look at these two ways: 1) Negatively. I am their last choice or 2) Positively. If I get an interview, it is because God wants me there and will not take no for an answer. I believe it is okay to be confident. 

Hmm. I just had an Aha moment about the fact that I found myself dead last. What is it that God tells us in Matthew 20:16: “So the last shall be first.” It is okay to be last because ultimately in God’s Kingdom, there will be some first and some last. I believe the difference will not depend on how long we’ve been at it or even about how much or how great our service has been, but rather on the spirit in which we follow and serve. In other words, we are not only called to follow the law in action (Old Testament), but also in our hearts (Love as Jesus did) Matthew 5:17-20. 

I want to be a Professional in more than my work life. I realized that I want to be a Professional Christian and I want God to be my Boss in everything I do. I ultimately work for Him. I’ve already given him my life through faith in Jesus Christ. Doesn’t it make sense that my life should be about what He wants from me before anything else? Shouldn’t my value come from Him. If I can be all of the things required by the world to be considered a professional in something, surely, I can discipline myself to be a professional in the most important part of my life…my Christian walk. 

BTW. I didn’t get the job I referred to here, but I did get an even better job shortly after!

Thanks for coming along side today.  Be courageous!