Today's blog is going to involve my reflections on a Bible passage I came across while searching the web (and I apologize in advance for it being quite lengthy). I don't believe you have to be religious to grasp the meaning behind the words, but if you do believe in God (or some higher power), you will definitely have Him (or it, or her) to thank by the end.
Romans 12:6-8
"We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully."
Is not God asking us to do what we do best here?
I can honestly say that I've spent many years learning about what I was meant to do in life. My mother always told me that if I found an occupation that I was passionate about, I would be in the best possible place in life, and I would be a rare person that had that opportunity.
Let me give you a little bit of information on how I view things in life: If I leave on time to get to an appointment but get stuck behind a school bus and arrive late, it was God preventing me from getting there early, perhaps to avoid an accident or something. If I think of someone and want to call them, it's God telling me that the person needs my support and I should reach out. If I get asked to help teach children at Church, it's God telling me that I have an obligation to spread my faith. Do you get where I'm going with this? God plays an essential role in my life, and I try to consider the greater meaning behind things that happen in it.
Getting back to Romans... I started my adult life after high school with the idea that I was going to become a great veterinarian. I aced my way through college and got into vet school. However - definitely through fault of my own, no one else was to blame - I didn't study enough and was a terrible test taker. (My redeeming quality in my mind was that my clinical skills were above average. I remember teaching others some of the skills that I had already acquired out in the world.) I digress (to turn aside especially from the main subject of attention).
Once vet school went awry (off the expected course), I tried my hand at veterinary surgical support, laboratory animal research, and practice management, all of which I enjoyed immensely but did not fulfill my passionate side entirely. That's not to say that I didn't love being out in practice (or in the lab) performing intricate technical skills. I also picked up a Masters degree while I was figuring things out. I started to find my passion when I was managing a practice and had hired a few inexperienced employees. When I taught them venipuncture (drawing blood) for the first time, and I saw the light bulbs go off in their heads, I was floored (defined by UrbanDictionary.com as the state of being saturated by a particular emotion).
This journey led me to desire to teach, or at least be more involved in training. I spent some time developing and implementing training programs in a large referral facility, but this position lacked the hands-on portion that I was missing. Then, I was approached to teach at a vet tech school. Now, teaching, that's my passion! I've found what I love. It's only taken a slightly skewed course over the past 13 years, but I'm here. If it were not for the twists and turns of life, I can't say that I would have found my passion. I'm still working with animals, definitely something I love dearly, but I'm now incorporating that with my love of teaching.
I like to ask people, "If you could do anything in the world for an occupation, what would it be?" Doesn't this bring us back to the Romans passage? If you love what you do, you'll do it best. For me, that's teaching - and really it doesn't seem to matter if I teach about Church to children or if I teach about animals to college students. As long as I'm teaching, I feel fulfilled.
What does God want you to do best? What gift has He given you?
No comments:
Post a Comment