Redefining Career Choice

“I don’t know.” His shrug was nonchalant, but the look in his eyes told me another story. “Not only do I not know, I don’t have any idea how to find out. This decision is way too big for me.”

He was teetering precariously on that fine line between child and adult. The decisions changed from do I want to ride my bike around the block again to what am I going to do with the rest of my life? He was only seventeen, but to pick a college he had to have a major and to pick a major he had to have career aspirations. He didn’t.

As a parent I felt the same tug I’ve felt since I heard him crying in his crib that very first night he was home from the hospital. I want to rush in and help, fix it, make things better. Growing up is tough, at least his growing up has been tough on me. Letting go, watching him fall, crash, mess up, get discouraged, sin – it has all be hard on me.

But, when it comes to his future career I can’t do much. He has to make that decision, as most of us have done. As a high school teacher I get to watch a lot of students work through these choices and I’m always amazed at how some students know exactly what they want to do. At seventeen I was just like my son. I didn’t have a clue. Actually, I’m 46 and I still don’t know what I want to do when I grow up.

People in the United States change careers approximately three times over their work life. This is a relatively new phenomenon. Years ago people often spent their entire career with the same company. Now they bounce not only from company to company, but from career to career. At the same time, jobs are becoming more and more specific, so training is more specialized. No wonder kids and many adults are confused.

In our constantly and quickly changing world it is important that we teach our kids what Jesus tells us about careers and career training. It’s important for you to remember his words too.

Therefore, I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? (Matthew 6:25)

Your career is not your life. It’s the means by which you make money to take care of necessities such as food and clothes. Could you get food and clothes working at a different job than the one you have now?

“Sure, but I couldn’t afford the house we live in, or drive that sweet ride I have,” you might say.

Almost every year I have my students fill out a sheet telling me what career they want to have. Over fifty percent of them pick high-income careers in entertainment, medicine or law. Can you imagine what our country would be like if half of the workers were in those three industries? Scary.

Too many people have bought into the American Dream Nightmare, where their success is based on how much stuff they have. This puts extra pressure as far as career choice. I’ve got to have a career where I can make the most money.

Unfortunately, it is because we’ve completely forgotten Jesus words to us about careers and life. “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth … but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven…. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21)

When we – and our kids – place our trust in God, we can reduce the anxiety over careers. “Consider the birds of the air: they neither so nor reap, nor gather in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? (Matthew 5:26)