“A man’s heart plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9, KJV)
Continuing my Storyworth project, here’s how I answered, “If you had to go back in time and start a brand new career, what would it be?”
I believe in the sovereignty of God and that “in Him we live and move and have our being.” He definitely works in mysterious ways, and we can’t straighten what he has made crooked. I believe our choices matter, but they are not ultimate as the verse above makes clear.
This sovereignty of God/responsibility of man paradox makes the “go back in time” question an interesting one. My short answer is that I might be a journalist or a professor. I’ve always been involved in reading, speaking, and writing, but most of my calling has tilted toward the practitioner. That is, most of my vocational journey has been in national social service and local church ministry, where adages like “an ounce of action is worth a ton of theory” are valued more than research or academics. I pursued these paths because I wanted to make a difference; these were the options before me, as well as the doors that opened.
If I went back, knowing what I know now, I think I would pursue a bachelor’s in communications or journalism. Truly, “the pen is mightier than the sword,” and, for me, great writing is associated with exploration, adventure, and energy. That’s why, despite historical inaccuracies, it’s easy for me to get caught up in a conspiracy thriller like All the President’s Men, a docudrama about The Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein who uncover the details of the Watergate scandal. Or Michael Connelly’s three novels featuring crime reporter Jack McEvoy.
Journalists get to read and travel a lot. They become excellent writers and often passionate, articulate speakers. They serve us with nuance and expand our horizons. The best correspondents also listen deeply to others and courageously tell the truth. They source their material and check their sources. I’m talking about individuals like Diane Sawyer, David Muir, David Brooks, Tim Alberta, Steve Hayes, Jonah Goldberg, Megan McArdle, Sarah Isgur, and David French. I see them as modern-day heroes, helping us sift through corruption and lies to see more clearly and make sense of our times. It’s no overstatement to say that aforementioned journalists have been sources of hope to keep me sane, help me face the brutal facts, and see the positive.
A professor would also be a great choice. I love visiting Ivy League schools and learning about their history. I am enamored with these lofty institutions, places that have produced some of our greatest thought leaders. For me, being surrounded by books is exhilarating, not dusty. Although I have certainly done some of this as a pastor, it would be an honor to daily coach, advise, and mentor students, not to adopt my perspective, but to think deeply and ask questions. To teach them to listen acutely and read widely. To develop convictions and a point of view. To guide, but not control. This is what individuals like the following have done for me over the years: C.S. Lewis, R. C. Sproul, Alister McGrath, Gordon Wenham, N.T. Wright, Albert Brooks, Mark Noll, Bruce Metzger, Craig Keener, John Walton, Pete Enns, Dan Allender, Tremper Longman, Bruce Walke, and Craig Blomberg.
Of course, as a professor, it would be great to have summers off, get paid sabbaticals, and be in a culture where you were encouraged—even required—to read, study, research, and get published. To spar with others with widely opposing ideas, some of which you’ve never heard before. And then to be one of the professors who celebrated practitioners (those who take ideas to the street and make them practical) and modeled civility (treating others with kindness and respect). All of that sounds terribly exciting.