What do you do?

Why in our culture, is worth given based on what we are doing? You're a teacher? Or a social worker? Good for you; you're making a difference. You're a engineer? Or an accountant? Or a shopkeeper? You're talented, have a good head, interesting interests, provide for yourself and your family. You're a student? Great, you're working toward a quality career and independence. You're a mom? You're investing in the lives of your children...though even then the question often gets turned into, “But what did you do before children?“ But you're a mom and work part-time and volunteer in your kids' school and write a blog and make healthy meals for your family every night ...? You're Wonder-woman.

I'm recognizing that I tend to place my worth in what I'm doing. In school, my grades. After school, a meaningful job or ministry. Everyone expects you to be able to successfully answer, “What do you do?“ But what is a “successful” answer?

I'm in a place where I sometimes struggle to answer that question. Especially with local people. "Missionary" doesn't translate well here - people don't know what it means or might have negative images of it. They expect something concrete, and the most I can give them is, “I teach English. But not much. And no, I probably can't teach you, because I don't have time. Sorry.” Because I'm not teaching English full-time. In fact, hardly even part-time. I have approximately 7 teaching hours in a week (not counting prep time). And beyond that I have a hard time explaining what I do. Helping my church... “working“ with the youth (though at this point mostly being at youth events and attempting to get to know them)... learning Czech... it's all kind of vague.

But last week as I was at a women's event and we were to share what we do, I really wanted to say, “I'm an Encourager.” I didn't, but I wanted to. I didn't, because what is that? It sounds a bit questionable to most people. I want to share something concretely WORTHWHILE, something that has value in the eyes of the world. But in reality, my day to day life doesn't have much value in the world's eyes. Because what I really do throughout the week is meet with people. Sometimes through an English lesson, sometimes for coffee (or tea, in my case) and conversation, sometimes in the context of a Bible study or life group. That's the gist of my week.

What is valuable is only in God's eyes: that I carry the presence of Jesus in me, and I carry Him into every interaction I have with people throughout the week. I meet with people and get to know them, encourage them, pray with them.

In sharing this with a friend, she said, “You should do it - tell people you're an Encourager!'“ But in order to do this, I have to believer that it doesn't matter what other people think. It doesn't matter what value or worth they place on me. What matters is that I'm loving people as God has enabled me to do in this time and place. Some people will get it – hopefully at least some of the Christians here (though they may still ask, “But what do you DO?"... or at least think it!) Others may not get it, but maybe it's a starting place for conversation.

It's a hard mindset to shift from our culture's standards of worthwhile, from wanting to feel responsible and self-sufficient with a respectable job, to being confident in what God has given me in this season. Even if it looks like nothing to most people. But what is nothing to others is the most worthwhile in God's eyes. I need to be confident of that. I confess I'm not always successful, but I'm working on it.