Vintage job classes poster by Dawn Hudson

Where Do You Find Your Security?

When I worked as a career counsellor, I had to facilitate job search workshops and help people with their resumes. I conducted mock interviews and advised on goal planning and time management. I also led participants through intensive career-planning sessions.

When I met with clients one-on-one, we would discuss employment issues and I would counsel them. Many times, issues of money, self-esteem and relationships would surface and we would need to work on these first before we could even consider developing a resume.

One thing that originally surprised me was the identity crisis that my clients suffered. They had completely become what their job was. Without employment, they had to struggle with who they were. Their security was wrapped up in their work.

This was not entirely their fault because society conditions us to place our security in our jobs. We become accustomed to identify ourselves with what we do.

When at a party and meeting new people our first two questions usually are, “What’s your name?” and “What do you do?”

With a job, we not only have the security of identity (“I am an employment counsellor.” “I am a secretary.” “I am a mechanic”) but we also have the security of money.

Our society runs on currency. I overheard a friend of my daughter boast, “My dad makes thirty-five dollars per hour.”

If we lose a job, we lose not only our identity but also financial security.

But is this right thinking? Should we be putting our faith in our job titles or our salary?

When we read the Bible, it is obvious to see the idols the people worshipped. They created physical, tangible idols like the golden calf and asherah poles.

But we are no better than these ancient people if we make our jobs or our money our idol. If we put our trust in these things, we are not placing our trust in a loving God. God is the one true source of our identity. He is our only true security. We can never lose our identity or our security if we put our full trust and faith in Him.

If I have put my trust in gold or said to pure gold, ‘You are my security,’ if I have rejoiced over my great wealth, the fortune my hands had gained, if I have regarded the sun in its radiance or the moon moving in splendor, so that my heart was secretly enticed and my hand offered them a kiss of homage, then these also would be sins to be judged, for I would have been unfaithful to God on high (Job 31:24-28 NIV).

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God is the one true source of our identity. 

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