The kingdom of heaven
is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl
of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it. (Matthew 13:45, 46, NKJV)
When a person sacrifices everything to
obtain Heaven’s pearl of great price, every aspect of his or her life can be
affected. One area of change that will
be impacted for most people is in the area of employment. As the world is united in using the papal
Gregorian calendar for civil use, worshipping by a different system of
time-keeping is challenging. Everyone
should seek divine wisdom and guidance for his or her own individual
circumstances.
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All work experience is value |
Any
work experience you have had is a valuable factor in your favor. An employer values hands-on work experience
and will often be willing to accommodate someone with experience in order to
hire him, rather than settle for someone else who must be trained in. Keep an open mind to all possibilities. If you have worked for a salary, you might
find that transferring to an hourly position, and then not getting paid for
days off, will allow you to have your holy days and retain your current
employment.
If you have a current employer for whom
you have done exemplary service, he would much rather keep you than have to
train in somebody new. Therefore, your
efforts at showing him the advantages of retaining you as an employee, is what
he would like to see. (See Work & Worship: Getting Time Off for Holy Days
for the best way to approach your boss and present your request for getting
time off work.) Whatever work you have
been doing, if you have been faithful and hardworking, the experience you
gained is an advantage that can be used to retain your job.
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Marketing your skills as a |
If
you do lose your job, that work experience (with a good letter of
recommendation) can help you find employment in a related field. It is always an advantage to have a work
history in a specific field, because you then have something to offer the
prospective employer. If you must look
for another job, be sure and get as many letters of recommendation as possible. Not just from the business owner, who may not
know you that well, but also get letters of recommendation from the manager,
supervisor and possibly work mates.
These letters are gold in your employability bank.
There are three basic
options you can pursue if you have lost your job:
- A different job in the same industry
- A new job in a different industry using similar job
skills - Opportunities in new fields
When
looking for a new job, try first to find one that is in your area of
experience. For instance, if you have
been working as a nurse in a doctor’s office, 8 am to 5 pm, five days a week,
the doctor will likely be unable to accommodate your different calendar. You have a number of different options
available to you. You could apply for a
night shift in a hospital; you could get work doing private duty nursing; you
could also get work as a hospice nurse or work in a nursing home or a school.
If
you have worked in a bank as a manager for many years, you have marketable
skills that would qualify you to handle being a business manager in other
businesses as well, such as restaurants, stores, hotels, resorts, etc. Restaurants, hotels and resorts are excellent
places to look for employment because of their need to schedule seven days a
week. Some restaurants and all hotels
and resorts need employees available 24 hours a day.
Regardless
of your area of experience, temporary employment is always an option. If there are no full time jobs available, you
can offer to work as a substitute at numerous businesses doing the same
work. Often, employers are left in the
lurch when an employee unexpectedly calls in sick or there are other scheduling
difficulties. Letting various employers
know that you can work short notice is something you have to offer and which
allows you to turn down those days that conflict with your holy days.
Most
schoolteachers know that they can substitute in the classroom, but few think of
private tutoring as another option.
There are commercial businesses that provide tutoring as well as
academic help for handicapped children and aid for dementia patients.
A
person who has many years on-the-job experience as a skilled carpenter can
apply for work in a building supply store.
Such stores are typically open into the evening to serve customers who
work until 5 pm. With such long hours,
they must schedule employees on different shifts. Any businesses whose employees work in shifts
are good places to try for work because shift work requires complex scheduling
to begin with. Being willing to take the
unpopular weekend days, national holidays or evening shifts is something you
can offer a prospective employer.
It
is very important to expand your thinking to consider many different options
and possibilities both with your experience and skill set as well as jobs you
have never done before. Sales work is
excellent for lunar Sabbath keepers.
Many sales people work off of commissions and so would allow you to work
your own schedule. Doing sales work in
the field of your experience is a natural transition to a new position.
Some
companies, such as health insurance, do sales by appointments only. There are other jobs as well, such as
plumbing, electrical work, carpentry repair, etc. which are done by
appointment. Repair work done for a
company is done on scheduled home visits.
This usually allows sufficient flexibility for lunar Sabbatarians.
Research
has found that mid-life career changes can be as stressful as a death in the
family or a divorce. It is extremely
important to maintain good communication with your family and trust in the divine promises. It is important
to cultivate an attitude of gratitude and trust.
The
example set by our Saviour taught that there is no shame in good, honest hard
work. Before beginning His public
ministry, Yahushua worked as a carpenter.
He did His work with diligence and skill. He was a workman that never needed to be
ashamed.
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No job should be rejected as not |
Paul, the apostle to the
Gentiles, the greatest Biblical scholar of the early ekklesia, supported himself
by working at a trade, specifically, making tents. If you have lost your job in a profession and
all you can find to do is nighttime janitorial work, do it with a willing heart
and to the best of your abilities. Pride in education or former position,
should not hold anyone back from taking a job that brings in money to support
oneself and one’s family.
One able-bodied man of the
author’s acquaintance, liked to boast that he could earn $50.00 an hour . . .
but he had taken a vow of poverty. He
was strong; he was healthy. He could have worked, but he chose not to
do so. The problem was he lived off of
others! Rather than truly living in
poverty, he took advantage of the generosity of his friends. Yahuwah gave work to be a blessing. If one has the ability to work but wants to
live in poverty, then be productive and put the money into the advancement of
truth!
Remember that there is no
shame in a job well-done. It is natural
to desire, if not a better job, at least one that is as good as the one you lost
over the Sabbath. If Yahuwah chooses to
bless you with a better job than you had before, rejoice and praise His holy
name. It is far more likely, however,
that you will have to take a job for less pay, less convenience and less
prestige. Understand that this is simply
part of the test, the weight of the cross you must carry!
Others have faced similar
upheavals and survived. You can,
too. When the Bolshevik Revolution swept
through Russia, many people of wealth and education fled to other countries. Men who had been well-respected professors,
surgeons and engineers in Russia, had to eke out a living as janitors and taxi
drivers. But they did it! And they were thankful to be alive.
Major life changes are never
easy, but the Saviour has promised to walk through it with you. Focus on what you do have. Make it a habit to express gratitude for the
blessings you receive, and this will help open your eyes to other possibilities
you may not have considered before.
“Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.” (1 Thessalonians 5:24, KJV)
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