The other day I was online looking for work in my area,
which is still a struggle. You gotta love that hope and change! Sorry about the
sarcasm, but sometimes you gotta laugh
to keep from crying, anyway I digress! I
came across a website that had an article to give you some pointers on what to
say and what not to say in an interview. It also gave some advice on what to
put into your resume and how to answer certain questions. A couple of things
that I read gave me some food for thought and made me think about some larger
questions about how we approach our God and how we apply for a job. What was
being conveyed by the article made me think about how different the Bible’s
message is to a sinful world.
The consistent message was not to appear desperate because
your zeal for a job is actually a turn off to employers. One of the pieces of
advice given was to not say that you are willing to do anything or take any
amount of money. The employer wants you to place an adequate range for salary
and position that is reasonable and fair to both parties and allow for some
negotiation on the subject. The next suggestion was about when to follow up
with a perspective employer after the interview. The recommendation given was
to not be overzealous and follow up too quickly or too frequently. The message
is consistently to place your best foot forward, negotiate from a position of
strength, and don’t act like you are in need of the job. To be fair I
understand that the job market is competitive and you have to compete for those
jobs; and that is the way it should be in terms of things that need to be competitive
in nature. My larger point is about whether or not we approach the Lord with
the same way that we seek employment.
The Bible gives us a lot of examples from Isaiah to David’s
lamentation in the Psalms to Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus; where
the response to God’s glory is falling prostrate, humbled and desperate in
their pleadings before a Holy God. Obviously I am not suggesting you act in this
manner before your perspective employer
in an interview! You would be escorted out of the building and someone might
suggest some couch time with Dr. Phil! What I am saying is that we must not try
to act shrewdly like we do in the world when we are dealing with God.
The world may not like desperation but our Lord and Savior
seeks out those at the foot of the cross who plead for their salvation. In
short don’t apply for a job in the Kingdom of Heaven in the same manner as you
would apply for a position here is this fallen kingdom.
