If you ever listen to financial commentator Dave Ramsey, you’ve often heard him rail about the higher education money pit that hooks young students and parents into taking out substantial school loans to pay for college. The student graduates with a bachelor’s degree in their field, $100K or more in debt, and no job offers with a salary large enough to pay the debts as well as the standard cost of just living. The solution? Go back to school. Get your master’s degree. Go deeper in debt. Then, graduate and face the same problem. Listening to the program a few days ago, a called said that they were $350,000 in school loan debt! It’s a vile trap that many have fallen into throughout the years.
Ramsey is an advocate for paying your way through college, going to local community colleges, or – better yet – learn a trade. Trade jobs are plentiful and the skilled workers to fill the positions are few. The financial compensation to do these jobs is typically better than what the college graduate can make, the cost to learn the trade is minimal, and the chances of job security are substantial.
What does this have to do with our devotion for today? Today is National Skilled Trades
Day. City Machine Technologies, Inc. of Youngstown, OH, founded National Skilled Trades Day “to bring awareness to the skilled trades shortage facing the United States. It is also a day to celebrate those important workers employed as a skilled tradesperson. As a family-owned and operated industrial repair shop …City Machine Technologies has experienced a labor shortage and is concerned about the future of their business as well as others in the manufacturing industry. Rather than sit back and wait for the culture to change, CMT decided to spur change and shed a positive light on the skilled trades through awareness and special events like National Skilled Trades Day.”1
I think it is safe to say that most occupations in the Bible fell under the category of skilled labor. Few “professionals” existed in that day and even many of those were lifted from the skilled labor pool. Jobs were plentiful in Bible days, ranging from farmer, shepherd, fuller, potter, tentmaker, metalworker, carpenters, soldiers, cooks, tailors, hunters, fishermen, musicians, and more.
As a pastor, for years I’ve heard people refer to my profession as a calling. Any full-time Christian worker has a calling and the insinuation is that there cannot be anything better than having this calling. Any other profession is not a calling, therefore, we need to push our young people to following God’s calling and get into full time Christian service. There is so much WRONG with this kind of thinking!!!!!
First, a calling is a calling, not a parental pushing. You can’t push a person into a calling. Second, it is not true that only full time Christian service workers have a calling. Exodus 35:30-35 says, “And Moses said unto the children of Israel, See, the LORD hath called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; (31) And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship; (32) And to devise curious works, to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass, (33) And in the cutting of stones, to set them, and in carving of wood, to make any manner of cunning work. (34) And he hath put in his heart that he may teach, both he, and Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. (35) Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of work, of the engraver, and of the cunning workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue, and in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen, and of the weaver, even of them that do any work, and of those that devise cunning work.”
READ THE LIST!!! These are ALL tradesmen, skilled workers who are filled with the Spirit of God, filled with wisdom, understanding, and knowledge, and the drive to do these things has been put in his heart. That sure sounds like a calling to me!
As Paul said, I am thankful that the Lord put me in the ministry. But “ministry” isn’t just preachers, evangelists, and missionaries. Ministry is any profession that you are doing, and you know God has called you to it.
- Metal lathe operators are in the ministry if God called them to do it.
- Truck drivers, cab drivers, and bus drivers are in the ministry if God called them to do it.
- Grubhub, Door Dash, and Uber Eats delivery drivers are in the ministry if God called them to do it.
- First responders are in the ministry if God called them to do it.
- Mechanics, welders, plumbers, electricians, HVAC techs, masonry workers, and carpenters are in the ministry if God called them to do it.
- Salespeople, clerks, cashiers, restaurant workers, hosts, greeters – they are all in the ministry if God called them to do it.
- Sanitation workers and custodians are all in the ministry if God called them to do it.
- Cosmetologists, barbers, and hairdressers are all in the ministry if God called them to do it.
- Lawn care experts are all in the ministry if God called them to do it.
Do we get the point? The college degree(s) don’t make anyone a better or more valuable person. And it certainly doesn’t make you more qualified for ministry.
I thank God for everyone who is doing the ministry in whatever field or occupation they’ve
been called. Wherever God has called us, may we “be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; (6) Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; (7) With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men.” (Ephesians 6:5-7)
1https://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-day/national-skilled-trades-day-first-wednesday-in-may
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