When John Van Sloten, whose work was introduced in Summer Book Suggestion: Every Job a Parable, meets with groups to try to discern God’s signature moves in their jobs, he begins with three questions. I encourage you to take a few minutes this week to give them prayerful consideration. Over the course of the coming month, share and discuss them with a small group of colleagues.
- What do you love about your job? What is just right about what you do? (Try to recall a working moment where you experienced meaning, flow, significance, awe, beauty, justice, or deep sense of satisfaction.) Write it down.
- Why does that experience matter so much to you? Think about it. How does it make you feel? What does it say about how you were made?
- As you consider and unpack your vocational loves, be mindful of any scriptural or theological truths that come to mind. Do you notice any similarities or correlations between your story and the Bible’s story? – Every Job a Parable: What Walmart Greeters, Nurses & Astronauts Tell Us About God (Navpress: 2017, 41).
Bonus: John Van Sloten’s The parable of a Teacher has significant application to the academic journey. As you watch, ask, “What teacher(s) encouraged you to pursue your current vocational direction? What skill / interest did he / she ‘name’ or reveal?” To God be the glory!
The parable of a Teacher from John Van Sloten on Vimeo.
About the author:
Tom enjoys daily conversations regarding living out the Biblical Story with his wife Theresa and their four girls, around the block, at Elizabethtown Brethren in Christ Church (where he teaches adult electives and co-leads a small group), among healthcare professionals as the Northeast Regional Director for the Christian Medical & Dental Associations (CMDA), and in higher ed as a volunteer with the Emerging Scholars Network (ESN). For a number of years, the Christian Medical Society / CMDA at Penn State College of Medicine was the hub of his ministry with CMDA. Note: Tom served with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship / USA for 20+ years, including 6+ years as the Associate Director of ESN. He has written for the ESN blog from its launch in August 2008. He has studied Biology (B.S.), Higher Education (M.A.), Spiritual Direction (Certificate), Spiritual Formation (M.A.R.), Ministry to Emerging Generations (D.Min.). To God be the glory!
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