Vocation can be both an exciting and intimidating word to think about. Right now for us at Calvin and colleges all over the world, the world seems to be right at our fingertips and yet impossible to conquer in any way, shape, or form. Calvin College focuses a lot of their freshman orientation courses around this issue. They use Prelude, Quest, and now the Developing a Christian Mind interim course to help prepare us for our current vocation as a student and our later vocations in the “real world”. When I saw that an interim course was offered on C.S. Lewis, I was immediately interested. I had read a few books, essays, and poems by Lewis, and was captivated by his writing. I wanted to learn more. Taking this class not only expanded the array of pieces that I have read by Lewis, but it also challenged me to think about my life in ways that I had never done before. One aspect in particular that Lewis touched a lot on in the essays that I read was about the vocation that we are going to have throughout our lives. He talked about the importance of a good education, what we need to do during our lives to show that we are Christians, and also the ways that the devil might try to hinder us in our vocations. In the book entitled Engaging God’s World, Neil Plantinga also talks about what it means to have a vocation in the kingdom of God. Both Plantinga and Lewis helped me in my understanding of how I will fit in my vocation and how I can use it to glorify God.
“Learning in War-Time” was a sermon preached in the fall of 1939, which was right at the beginning of World War II. Lewis addressed many issues about wartime in this sermon; however, his points should not be taken into consideration only in times of war between countries. They can also be used in our lives as we are at war with the devil. Two specific issues that Lewis addresses include both how important the pursuit of knowledge is and also how any kind of service and work is accepted by God, as long as it is used to glorify Him. Regarding the pursuit of knowledge, Lewis says that this pursuit is vital, no matter what situation or dark time people are surrounded by: “If men had postponed the search for knowledge and beauty until they were secure the search would never have begun” (Lewis, Learning in War Time). He also says that knowledge is vital for glorifying God: “We can therefore pursue knowledge as such, and beauty, as such, in the sure confidence that by so doing we are either advancing to the vision of God ourselves or indirectly helping others to do so” (Lewis, Learning in War-Time). Lewis also makes it clear that God accepts any services as long as they are presented in the right way. Paraphrasing 1 Corinthians 12, he says, “We are members of one body, but differentiated members, each with his own vocation” (Lewis, Learning in War-Time). This sermon helped assure me that no matter what road I take in my career path, it will be pleasing to God as long as I offer whatever I do to God. Lewis also emphasized the importance of a good education, which makes me even more confident in my choice to go to Calvin college to pursue a higher degree.
Plantinga also talks about the importance of education in chapter five of his book entitled Engaging God’s World. He said, “Your college education is meant to prepare you for prime citizenship in the kingdom of God” (Plantinga 117). What I found to be most relevant was what he said about using our vocation to better God’s kingdom: “Successful living depends especially on fitting our small kingdom inside God’s big kingdom, always recalling where we got our dominion in the first place” (Plantinga 108). This visual picture gives me comfort. When there is so much hurt in the world, it often seems impossible to be able to make a difference. Plantinga reassures us, however, that whatever role we play in the world, it will be used in God’s much greater plan to bring God’s kingdom and shalom on earth as it is in heaven.
On a slightly different note than the importance of education, Lewis also gives some warnings about what can happen throughout our lives and our vocation. In the essay entitled “The Inner Ring,” Lewis talks about how we tend to always want to be part of an exclusive circle. Our world looks down on outsiders, and our human nature is such that we naturally want to be included. Lewis says that the Inner Rings themselves are not dangerous, but the desire to be in them is where the problem lies. He says, “As long as you are governed by that desire you will never get what you want...Until you conquer the fear of being an outsider, an outsider you will remain” (Lewis, The Inner Ring). This really hit home for me. I find myself always fighting to be in an inner ring. Once I feel like I’ve gotten into one, the desire to get into another exclusive circle eats away at me until I get into that one. Lewis says that this is true for all ages: “In many men’s lives at all periods between infancy and extreme old age, one of the most dominant elements is the desire to be inside the local Ring and the terror of being left outside” (Lewis, The Inner Ring). I think that as I go through my life, I will need to remember what Lewis said in this article. In my vocation, there will be many rings surrounding me that I may want to get into: people who make more money than I do, people who have more education, people who have a more stable job. Lewis challenges us by saying the only way to conquer these exclusive rings is by not desiring to be in them. We need to be content with who we are, even if we feel like an outsider. Only then will we be truly free to live the life that God intended us to live.
Another danger that Lewis warns us about is found in his book, The Screwtape Letters. In Chapter twelve, the human that the devils are trying to lead to Hell is becoming stagnant in his religious life. Screwtape says, “As long as he retains externally the habits of a Christian he can still be made to think of himself as one who has adopted a few new friends and amusements but whose spiritual state is much the same as it was six weeks ago” (Lewis, Chapter XII). In this, Lewis is pointing out that often the problem with Christians lies where they do not realize what is happening. He says, “Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one-the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts” (Lewis, Chapter XII). This is something that I definitely do not want happening in my life as I go through my vocation. I do not want my career, vocation, and life as a Christian to become stagnant. I know that it is so easy to fall into a routine, and especially when the months grow into years, it is a natural tendency to start falling into a mundane aspect on life. This is exactly what the devil wants. On the other hand, God wants us to live our lives with a passion for Him, and to do our work with joy and with a purpose for glorifying God. This is what I want. I want to wake up every morning with the joy that I get to live out my vocation to give God the glory He deserves, and also to better His kingdom, even by just a little bit. I have to be thankful of the blessings that God has so richly poured over me; that may be the only way to conquer the “stagnant” life that Lewis talks about.
Lewis wanted his readers to be prepared in many ways. He wanted them to get a good education in order to have a desire to pursue knowledge, and he also wanted them to be prepared for what the devil could throw at them in order to hinder their desire for bettering the Kingdom of God. We have been given an awesome opportunity to glorify God through our vocations; both in the work that we do and also through our actions so that others may question why we do and say what we do. A verse that came to my mind when Reading Lewis‘ essays comes from 1 Peter 3:15-16: "But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander." This challenge is more easily said than done; however, I think that as image-bearers of Christ we have been blessed the chance to show others what the love of God looks like. Lewis was able to do this beautifully in his writing, but we can be image-bearers in whatever vocation we are in. If we work at our vocation to the best of our abilities and also bring the glory right back to God, we can be confident that He will tell us, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
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