How God Prepares You for His Work in the World
One of my jobs at the school where I teach is serving as advisor of the student newspaper. A couple of my classes are journalism classes, and they are responsible for planning, writing, designing and publishing a monthly high school newspaper.
As I prepare students for embarking on our first edition of the newspaper each fall, I guide them through a series of journalism lessons that prepare them to dive into the deep end of journalism. During our prep time at the very start of the year, I am quite intentional about using documents and processes that look exactly like what they will see and use when we start working on our first newspaper. The very first paper is, honestly, quite overwhelming for students! But when they see things that look familiar along the way, they find comfort and build confidence in their own abilities.
It may be as simple as a single document. For example, the document students use to document their interviews is the exact same document I used when teaching them about how to write good interview questions. So when they open the document to begin writing interview questions for their first source on their first article, the first thing they see is something familiar.
In other ways, it’s as simple as a certain process. For example, after students complete their interviews, I have them do some color coding to help plan which quotes they might use as direct, indirect or partial quotes. When they’re learning about how to select which quotes to use, they do an exercise where they color code some interview transcripts made available to them. So when they’re working on their first articles and they get to the part when they’re ready to decide which quotes to use, they see the exact same color coding instructions (with the exact same colors—green, yellow and blue). Something familiar! Confidence booster.
Although it’s a big undertaking when students embark on writing their very first articles for the newspaper, as they move through the writing process, they realize they have been adequately prepared for such a time as this. 🙂 They see documents and move through processes they’ve used before. They are ready, even though they may be a little nervous.
The same is true for followers of Jesus. God prepares us for any work He has for us. I was reminded of this when studying Ezekiel 2 earlier this fall. Ezekiel was actually trained to be a priest, but when Babylon attacked Jerusalem and took many of the Israelites as prisoners, Ezekiel was among those who were exiled. So then he found himself in a foreign land, with life looking nothing like he had expected.
After a few years of exile, Ezekiel saw a vision that showcased the mystery, majesty and glory of God the Father. God then commissioned Ezekiel. He said Ezekiel was to speak to the Israelites, who God was wanting to bring back into alignment with Him and His ways. But God did not just send Ezekiel in blind… He was completely honest about the difficulties Ezekiel would face. In Ezekiel 2, God tells Ezekiel that the people will not listen to him. But, God said, Ezekiel should not be afraid, and he should still speak God’s words. God Himself would establish Ezekiel through his obedience. God said:
And whether they listen or fail to listen—for they are a rebellious people—they will know that a prophet has been among them. -Ezekiel 2:5
God told him over and over, in Ezekiel 2, to not be afraid.
And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or be terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people. You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious. -Ezekiel 2:6-7
God prepares us for any task He calls us to. Just as I prepare my journalism students for their first time navigating through the newspaper creation process, God prepared Ezekiel for the reception he would receive from the Israelites, and He prepares you and me, too. Thank you, God!