Recently, I was inspired as I listened to a brief given by a senior army officer who shared how the U.S. Army manages assignments for officers and enlisted soldiers. It hit me like a ton of bricks that the manner in which they fill assignments, which is a huge task by the way, is not too different from how God manages his children’s callings and careers. Are you curious about this? Allow me to elaborate.
Let me contrast how the army manages the talent of its human resources and then describe how that models the way in which God manages the various callings of his people for his Kingdom and glory.
Critical Jobs That Need To Be Filled
First of all, let me frame the U.S. Army’s talent management process. They define talent management as: “how the Army acquires, develops, employs, and retains its people to enhance readiness by maximizing human potential.”
When they talk about the talent that soldiers of every rank possess, they are describing it this way: “the intersection of knowledge, skills, behaviors, and preferences . . . that result in an optimal level of individual performance in a particular job. All people possess talents that can be identified and cultivated if properly developed and employed in the right assignments.”
This proactive approach to filling vacant assignments with the right people who are potentially capable of performing these jobs and who want to be there has been developing rapidly over the past five years. It still has its challenges, but it seems to be working quite well. The end result is that the army is better at putting the right people in the right place at the right time with the right attitudes and aptitudes.
As a Christian, you have a divine purpose. God made detailed plans for you since before the beginning of time. The Apostle Paul writes that God “chose us in him before the foundation of the world” (Eph. 1:4). You were created through your union with Jesus Christ to do good works (Eph. 2:10). A significant percentage of these good works will involve your job, but they are not limited to your paid employment. Your good works will also be done at home, in church, and in your neighborhood.
God has a variety of assignments he wants to fill around the world with people who have the right skills to represent him in every career field. He needs some of them to serve in vocational Christian ministry, at home and abroad. He needs the vast majority of his children to work in ordinary jobs to meet the wide range of human needs. God blessed you with talents, which is a blessing to you and to all whose lives you will touch as God loves others through the work that you do daily.
A Choice In What You Do & Where You Do It
In the U.S. Army, much effort has been made over the last few years to radically change the way it fills jobs. After two or three years in one place, it is normally time for a soldier to move to a new assignment. Through an automated system referred to as the “marketplace” the soldier gets to prioritize the available jobs at various locations where they would be willing to go. They are encouraged to seek out challenging assignments to develop their potential. They also have the option to select a geographical area that interests them or is close to their extended family.
This is way different from my experiences on active duty. I did have some input a few times on my eight assignments over twenty years, but that was not always the case. I can still recall being at my first duty station when I showed up to work one day and was told by the operations sergeant that I was on assignment to Korea for a one-year unaccompanied tour. I had no say on that decision, but I did choose where I went after that. However, I was surprised by my next assignment as a recruiter.
In contrast, God usually allows us some freedom to choose our vocations. Children develop interests and aptitudes early on. With education, experience, and input from parents and other trusted mentors, they are guided into the field(s) where they will have the best potential to succeed if they work hard to develop those God-given talents and skills. When they begin to look for jobs in those fields, they have the freedom to choose where to apply. Finding a job is always going to be a spiritual journey. They must seek God first. When God opens a door, they should just go through it.
Every Job Is Important
As I have studied the concept of spiritual gifts holistically in the Old Testament and New Testament, I’ve discovered that these specific talents which are critical to enable a local church to function biblically are not an all-inclusive list of the kinds of abilities that God has used to build his Kingdom. The story of the Spirit-filled tabernacle project managers Bezalel and Oholiab illustrates this idea quite well. (See Ex. 31:1-6.)
The Apostle Paul compares spiritual gifts with various parts of the body in 1 Cor. 12:12-30. Paul teaches that with respect to the spiritual gifts that every believer has, it is important for them to know that everyone’s individual talent contributes to the health of the whole body. Each one of them are necessary. Moreover, none of them are more important or less important than the others.
We can apply this understanding to the biblically legitimate professions or jobs held by those inside and outside the church. Every job has a purpose in God’s economy: to meet the full spectrum of human needs (i.e., physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual). All work has intrinsic value; work is good because God works. We were called to be his coworkers to expand and sustain the creation. (See Gen. 1:28.) Thus, all workers are of value in the Kingdom of God.
Your Job & Doing It Well Matters
The clear message that was put out was that it doesn’t necessarily matter what unit you are assigned to or what position you hold. What matters is how well you do the job. For example, if a Chemical officer aspires to be a company commander, they should take whatever company is offered. It is immaterial whether it is a chemical command or one in another type of unit. Any company command is considered equal in the eyes of those who will select officers for promotion to the next rank. What truly matters is how successful they were as a company commander.
In Col. 3:23-24, the Apostle Paul emphasizes the importance of quality work. Paul writes, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” In 1 Thes. 4:11-12, he echoes the same concept as he exhorts the church to “make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders.”
However, I don’t want to leave you with the idea that merely doing a variety of tasks efficiently to accomplish the mission should be your only goal. Any organization, including the U.S. Army, is a people business. You must treat others with dignity and respect. You must maintain relationships with your bosses, coworkers, subordinates, and customers to develop a reputation of trustworthiness. In building teamwork, you need to manage all relationships in your team, not only with you.
Closing Thoughts
It would be easy to forget that even though our soldiers now have more say in where they go and what they do, they are still called to fill positions according to the needs of the army. Every soldier knows that they have volunteered to serve in whatever capacity they are needed, to do the missions that are required, in the places where the need is great, and where there are soldiers who need good leaders.
In the same way, as Christian workers, our attitude towards our own vocations should be one of submission to the will of God. We signed up for this when we surrendered to his call to repent and follow Jesus.
With open hands, we trust him to send us where he wants us to go, to do what he needs us to do, to bring his presence with the people he loves, both inside and outside the church. Using the skills and gifts he has given us, with the training, education, and experience in applying those talents, we are to work as unto him, allowing him to work with, in, and through us, to love those around us, for his purposes and glory.
It is the needs of the Kingdom of God that matter. Where does he need you to serve next?
Editor’s note: This article has been republished from the author’s blog with permission.
