When you have your resume posted on several career sites, you receive many emails with job openings. I have been job searching for about five weeks now and most of the openings do not match my experience although I have found a few leads. This morning I received the most interesting one so far: FBI Agent. I laughed out loud when I saw it because I have no criminal justice background and it just seemed funny they sent this to me! I am interested in the idea though so I read the description. “Special Agents serve around the globe combatting crime through intelligence and operations, tracing money and tracking criminals, defeating foreign sponsored spies and terrorists, serving on SWAT teams, stalking cyber thieves (which interests me because I have been the victim of identity theft several times), supervise complex terrorism investigations, gather evidence and build cases that place criminals behind bars, uphold the rule of law, defend civil rights and civil liberties an protect the innocent. Begin the application process today!”
I read all of that and I thought, “Wow that sounds like an amazing job!” Then I looked at the age range for applicants and I am too old. Bummer. It got me thinking though.
I just finished reading Leviticus as part of my Bible study. I am not going to lie, that book is a very difficult read. Most of the time I was thinking, “How in the world does this apply to me, God?” It just seems like a lot of rules and laws and blood and sacrifices that I cannot wrap my head around to be honest. I found myself reading through it quickly because I just wanted it to be over with…I felt like I was in a scary movie. But that is not how it is meant to be interpreted. It was written to draw the Israelites to the holiness of God and gave them directions on how to act in a holy manner towards Him. It is about shifting attitude from self to God. It is about obedience. This is not 1445 B.C. this is 2016. God doesn’t want me to slaughter an animal as a sacrifice to Him (Thank You God because I am a pescatarian and that would be a true test of my faith!!!) But what He does want is my focus on Him with a grateful heart because He has given me everything. Instead of offering a sacrifice He wants me to offer my best self every day in ALL areas of my life. And He wants me to be prepared at all times.
What does all of this have to do with my job posting for the FBI? I thought about the job description and the people described on the list…terrorists, criminals, and thieves. The job is about bringing justice and protecting the innocent. Those criminals are Gods children in His eyes just like you and I. And just like us, they are forgiven…even if they don’t deserve it.
Romans 12:17-21 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome with good.
God teaches us that He does for others what we would never dream of doing for them on our own. Jesus did it all for us on the cross and for that God gets all the glory. It is about grace. Grace means that no one is too bad to be saved. Those thieves, terrorists, criminals…and some of you might add politicians 😉 are good enough to be saved in God’s eyes. That is what makes it “scandalous.” That is what makes it AMAZING!
Blessings,
Stacey ~ iamalive
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