Keep Christ in Your Present

Scripture

Our verse for today comes from Titus 3:3, ” For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. “

Background

I have been fortunate to work at the same company for over twenty-one years. Countless are the ways that this organization has blessed me and my family, going far beyond just the means to provide and take care of them. And one of the less obvious blessings of being employed for such a significant length of time is that I have not had to revise and submit my résumé in search of a new job. Few tasks that involve zero physical exertion are as painful to me as writing a résumé. In addition to the general annoyance of having to write about myself, there is the added ridiculousness of relating your work accomplishments and qualifications in professional-sounding, business-world lingo. Or to be more precise, résumé-speak. Instead of describing yourself as you would to any other normal human, on a résumé, common phrases and ordinary words must be replaced with ” high impact phrases ” and ” power words. ” Words like ” implement ” and ” facilitate ” and ” pro- active ” are used (but not more than once – that would not be professional). Common phrases include ” excellent interpersonal skills, ” ” results oriented, ” and ” identifies and develops. ” It’s a language almost all to itself. And every job applicant has no weaknesses, at least none worth mentioning. There are no past failures, and each prior job was the perfect prerequisite for the next opportunity.

Application

And as such, it’s hard to imagine dropping bombs like ” foolish, disobedient, led astray, slave to various passions and pleasures ” on a résumé, isn’t it? Only the overly curious, slightly odd interviewer would bother to meet with an applicant who dared to bare their past so honestly and transparently. But the truth is, everyone who walks through their door, or any door for that matter, has a track record full of high impact phrases and power words that paint a rather ugly picture. If it keeps us humble before our God, then that’s wonderful. If it compels us to extend grace and compassion to others, then the job is yours.

Charge

As we seek Him today, let your past help keep Christ in your present, and spur you to make Him part of someone’s future.