WHAT DO YOU DO?

Over the past six weeks this has been the question that I have been wrestling with the most.  It is not until I was unemployed that I realized that one of the questions that new people ask you after your name is what do you do?  That was a really hard question for me to answer.  Saying I was unemployed, while true, made me feel inadequate or lacking, and that was not what I wanted to feel like.

Why was this such a hard question for me?  Why am I so concerned about what I do?  Does my job or title truly reflect who I am?  This hit me really hard when I went to Ukraine a couple of weeks ago.  When the trip was booked I was the Exec Director at Eagle Brook Church.  When I arrived in Ukraine I was unemployed.  I worried about how I would be accepted and whether or not what I had to share was valued based on my old job/position or on who I was!

When I arrived, our friends in Ukraine taught me that it is NOT WHAT I DO that matters, it is WHO I AM!  I was accepted as a follower of Christ, a person with experience and knowledge to share that loved them and cared for them.  They did not care that position had changed.  They loved and accepted me for who I am.  What a lesson for me!

This reminded me of a season when my wife Beth left her last job over 6 years ago.  For several years she wrestled with her identity and JUST being a mom and wife did not seem like it was enough. How many times have you heard someone limit themselves by adding the word JUST.  Beth wasn’t just a mom and wife, she was a nurturer, an encourager, a supporter, a volunteer, a care giver.  A person who gave so much more to others than any title could explain.  That is who she is.

As I have reflected on this, I have found that who I am is made up of three things:

1. Who I am in Christ – I am a Christ follower who was saved by grace.
2. What is my purpose – To Love God and Love Others and help others to find a relationship with God.
3. What are my skills – I am a problem solver who loves to help others reach their full potential.

So let me challenge you in the following ways:

• Don’t let yourself be limited by your job title or position.
• Never use the word JUST …  to describe yourself.  You are more than that limitation!
• Spend time getting to know who people are and less about what they do
• Next time you meet someone new, ask them WHO ARE YOU? and see how they respond.  They will probably be shocked and at a loss for words, but that is a good place to start.