Jobless but not Worthless

Why is it that men seem to be defined by their jobs? When you meet a woman, one of the first things you ask is "are you married?", followed by "do you have any children?". With men it's different. One of the first things they're asked is "What do you do for a living?" It is the nature of men, and maybe our culture to define men by what they do and how good they are at it. In this day where there is so much unemployment it makes me ponder if maybe we aren't doing men a disservice. Do they become worthless because they do not have a job?


Men of my generation were raised in the age where you went to work, usually by the age of 16. They made their own money, bought their own cars, paid for their dates, all with their own money. If they didn't have it, they didn't do it. It was as simple as that. They were taught that you worked to provide for yourself and your family. It was your responsibility and you did it. It's a badge of honor and men wear it proudly, even to this day. I wonder though, if men shouldn't be defined by so much more. Shouldn't men be defined by how they portray God in their lives, how they treat their wives and children...do they show up and participate...do they make time to play...do they treat others with kindness and respect...are they willing to humble themselves before the Lord and seek guidance? Shouldn't we all, not just men, be defined by more. When we hold up a mirror to ourselves shouldn't we see a reflection of ourselves, but also a reflection of our Lord?

I ponder these questions, because Toby is unemployed. He has been since January. He took a stand against something he deemed unethical and it cost him a job. Has he become a lesser man because of it? No, in so many ways he has become even more the man of God. He is seeking more than ever God's will in his life and firmly believes that God has a plan. Will it change his perspective on things? I'm sure of it! Is he willing to humble himself before God and seek guidance? Absolutely! Is he now worthless? Absolutely not!