Article April 5, 2004 Issue

Work with what God gives you

By Beverly Peake

'WE'RE PHASING OUT YOUR JOB," my boss told me. "I'm very sorry." Sorry? I wasn't. I had been doing the same work for years, and I was ready for a change. I could hardly wait to go find a position I really liked. But after several interviews, I found it wasn't that easy. In fact, I was afraid I would have to settle for any job that would pay my rent.

During my daily Bible study, I came across a verse in Proverbs that made my heart leap: "A man's gift maketh room for him" (18:16). Surely, I thought, this is God's promise that my gifts (my skills and interests) will create room (employment) for me. It made perfect sense that God, who had given me those talents, would find the best place for me to use them.

What were my "gifts"? Well, I liked to write and edit. I also enjoyed acting in amateur theater. Reading about other cultures was a favorite pastime. And I loved to travel. Was it a good enough list? Maybe too frivolous? No, I decided. It was an honest account of what brought me joy. And I didn't need to impress God, who loved me just as I was.