In last week’s post I mention that I had an interview for a call eight days ago. While I write this I still don’t know the decision of the congregation I spoke with, I’ve recently had the reality forced upon me that the time is coming for me to make a decision about what’s next in my pastoral ministry. While I don’t, at this time, know exactly what our options will be, there will soon be a decision to be made, even if it’s the unlikely decision to wait for another option to present itself. As a result of this reality, I began to think about what sort of information goes into making a career decision, not just for someone in my situation, but for any Christian who finds himself or herself at a career cross-roads.

Wanting to get a better idea of what the standard input that goes into career decision making, I turned to Google and asked, “What job should I take?” I’d summarize the results in the following categories:

• Validation: The general question here is, “Are you appreciated for your work?” This makes sense, we all want others to approve of us and our work, so, when presented with two choices, give a plus to the one where you get your strokes.
• Promotion: Nobody wants to be in a dead end job or be in the same place they are now for the rest of their career, so look for a job that gives you an opportunity for promotion, be it within the company, by bolstering your resume, or by formally or informally enhancing your education.
• Compensation: “Show me the money!” Or maybe, given the impending demise of Social Security and the exorbitant costs of healthcare, it’s, “Show me the benefits!” I think this one is rather self-explanatory.
• Security: Given what’s happened the global economy over the past year and a half, job security is precious, so it’s important to consider whether one job will put you in a place where you’re more likely to be jobless sooner rather than later.
• Alignment: How does the job tie into your personal values and beliefs? Are you going to be put in a position where you’re asked to do something that contradicts what you believe or forces you to spend too much time away from loved ones?

But, the question I started out with was, “What should a Christian consider when making a decision?” What's behind this question is the reality that, when you've been called by the gospel, when your sin is forgiven out of God's grace and mercy, you are called into a new life, not one of seeking to earn God's love and approval, but in response to the love and approval God has already given. Of the five categories above, much of this response would fall under alignment. So, what sort of characteristics would align with a Christian set of values? Here’s some initial thoughts:

• Does the job enable me to feed my faith by participating in the life of my congregation? This question falls under the 3rd Commandment on keeping the Sabbath Day holy, something that Luther argued was really about joyfully hearing the Word of God which makes everything holy.
• How will this job impact time with my family? Will it enable me to be a good spouse and parent? The doctrine of vocation isn’t just about work, rather, it’s about all of our callings in life, which begin at home (this is just one of the callings addressed in the Table of Duties in the back of the Small Catechism). You’re the only spouse your husband or wife has, and the only parent your child has, therefore, if you’re not fulfilling those callings, nobody will. It’s also from this place where I believe compensation comes into play, not in the sense of which job pays the most, but, “Does the job enable me to care for my family?"
• Since God calls me to love my neighbors by serving them, and the bulk of my waking hours will be spent at work, “Am I, through the work I do, serving my neighbor?” I think this question is particularly tricky if we read it in light of the 5th and 7th Commandments on killing and stealing. For Luther, anything that didn’t promote the health of your neighbors, was killing them, and he had harsh words involving theft for businesses who focus on making the highest profit over selling at a price and quality that looks out for the good of the customer.

However, beyond the alignment discussion, I think there are some other, specifically Christian questions to ask when considering a job. Here are two:

• Is there too much security? This might sound like an odd question, but if we consider the First Commandment which tells us to have no other gods, it makes more sense. As Luther fleshes out this commandment, he asks people to consider what they see as the source of their blessing and the refuge in times of trouble. If the answer is anything but the Triune God, then you’ve found an idol. Could the quest for the ultimate in security at work be a symptom of idolatry? Are you failing to step out in faith and trusting in God’s provision by taking the more stable job over something less certain but better in every other way?
• Then there’s the question that my friend Glenn, who's spent the last 10 plus years in the African mission field, always asks, “What about the parable of the talents?” In Matthew 25:14-30 and Luke 19:12-28 Jesus tells a parable about the rule and reign of God. While there is an element of the parable that points to the distance of Christ’s full reign, the dominant idea is that God gifts people differently, and calls you to use your gifts for the good of his Kingdom. In practice, if you have a unique gift or ability that allows you to serve your neighbor in ways that most people can’t, then you need to find a job that allows you to use that gift. Glenn's example is that very few people are capable of living in a foreign culture long-term, so, if you're able to do so, then you belong in a foreign culture.

I’d love to hear what you think.

• What should the Christian do with the standard criteria of validation and promotion?
• Do you have other questions that fall under the alignment discussion?
• Are there other specifically Christian questions to ask?