Sometimes I don’t feel spiritual because of where my life is going. I observe others who are excitedly pursuing and training for mission opportunities or other direct ministry prospects. I’m into data analysis and algorithm development! Not particularly righteous-sounding.

That’s what I think sometimes.

Spiritual pride. It’s all about me and how spiritual I appear, isn’t it? I’ve got a reputation to uphold. And I’m going to Grad School for some secular pursuit, one that’s not even directly helping people. That, when I could be going on mission trips and to Bible School!

But see, if I really believe that God is leading me in the direction that I’m heading (I do) then I’ve got to believe that it’s worlds better that I be a numbers geek than a missionary.

And that’s where the thinking gets a little dangerous. Am I just going to be an Operations Researcher/Statistician/Industrial Engineer for my whole life? Is that all my existence will consist of? I certainly hope not. I hope to be enthralled with my job, but as soon as the job becomes the focal point, as soon as it becomes the end instead of a means to the end of glorifying my Saviour, then I’ve got a big problem.

MECOP placement interviews happened for quite a few of my IME classmates on Friday. One of the questions one guy said he was asked was “What is your greatest value?”

I’m sure many of them said something like “my job,” “hard work,” or “problem-solving.”

I hope I’m asked that question in a job interview someday. My greatest value, by far, is Jesus Christ, my personal relationship with God. Of course, I would rush to point out that that value is not a hindrance to doing quality work for a company. Quite to the contrary, it’s because of that value that I will do the very best I can.

God has a plan for my life. And I think I know what that plan is for the immediate future. I think it is to minister right where I am, right now, while I’m in school. I don’t do a very good job at that. But I’m committed to improving, with God’s help, with others’ help.

And right now, February 7, 2004, I see that style of ministry continuing into the foreseeable future as well..

Because you know, OR/Statisticians/IE’s, those fields need Christians in them just like farmers and general contractors and business managers and basketball players and taxi cab drivers and accountants and masons and newspaper reporters and…continue in finitum, ad nauseum.

Did I just use those two wonderful Latin terms correctly? I sure hope so.

Ha ha.

I like ending posts with “ha ha.”