Chess4Life: Teaching Life Skills Through Job Opportunities

Yesterday in our normal meeting, my boss and I were discussing my fears in leaving my position. I was telling him that my biggest concern was that I would leave having forgotten some obscure, life altering detail that would cause him and my coworkers to rue the day I was hired.

"Lyric," he said to me, "I am not worried about you leaving. Your transition has gone well and, not to be rude--but in God's Kingdom we must remain irrelevant. Otherwise, how would he work through us?"

That, perhaps, was one of the most poignant descriptions of God's work in my life that I have ever heard. Indeed, in spite of my immaturity, my grievous lack of experience, my self doubt, my sinful nature, and my past, God has worked miracles in and through me.

***

Tonight was my last day at work, and my coworkers threw a "goodbye (for now)" party for me. Everything was decorated in my favorite colors (which must have been God's sovereignty or someone's really great memory), and my coworker spent hours cooking up chicken enchiladas that couldn't make it due to a power outage. The thoughtfulness was incredibly humbling.

This is the third time this month where I have looked up at the sky and asked God, "Whose life am I living?!"

I think what really has me stupefied is the fact that my personality and the woman I am today is typical to my coworkers. When they look at me, they don't see my past and the scars that satan wants me to be defined by. They don't see the terrified little girl that didn't want to take the job or the trip to Thailand. They don't see my self doubt, my condemnation, and my weaknesses that blur my vision so badly sometimes it's hard to see the light.

They see what God has done in me. They see a picture of Jesus' face. They see strength and resilience. They see joy and peace. 

And I get these small and precious moments of clarity--these out of body glimpses into my heart from another's perspective. I get to see and experience redemption.

 ...Ha, if only they knew. 

Some of these people will never have any idea how they have touched my lives, the principles and concepts and aspects of righteousness God has taught me through them. But when I get up to Heaven I will say to Jesus, "Look! That one right there! They get a gold star, Jesus. Or at least a pat on the back. Good job on them, big guy."

Never in my life have I had such an intense moment of perspective, such a typifying experience of the 180 God has done in my life. It has only been two years since I have called Him my own, and I am floored by the transformation that I have undergone.

...and I can't wait to see what he'll do in Thailand.

"You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.  Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die.  But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

                                    (Rmns 5:6-8, NIV)

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly."

                                    (John 10:10, ESV)

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."

                                     (Rmns 12:12, ESV)