Those words signal that it is time to grade myself. Based on what we professors submit, we are graded by our Chair, the College Committee and the Deans, then we are ranked with the other college faculty and finally we are rewarded accordingly.

I came to genuine faith in Christ in January of 1985 after 16 years of teaching at Oklahoma. As an Associate Professor I loved teaching, but my ambition and focus were really on research and becoming a full professor. That year some colleagues and I were working on a major study of the correlates of success in wholesaling. Prior to that time I had been a typical religious person who attended church and even occasionally was stirred to a deeper understanding of what the matter of faith had to do with life. Becoming a Christian rocked my little academic world in unexpected ways.

God-appointed Interruptions

Reviewing statistical data, drafting and refining our analysis seemed never-ending jobs. I became very frustrated when students came to my office outside the posted office hours, often for what seemed to be no apparent reason. As a student left one day, I remember thinking “I could get so much done if it were not for these darn interruptions!” Immediately I sensed the Holy Spirit telling me “These interruptions are your job.”

Hearing that, I stopped what I was doing and just sat still. My view of my job and my priorities changed in that golden moment. Instead of resenting the interruptions, I began to look forward to them.

The reminder about the annual report was never something I eagerly welcomed each December. As I struggled, thinking “This report probably won’t please either my Chair or the Dean” the Holy Spirit reminded me, “You don’t work just for them. You work for God. You should be most concerned about whether or not what you have done this past year pleases Him.”

New Perspective

Wow, what a concept! When I finished my report and looked it over, I realized that it had been a great year when seen from the proper perspective. Not the kind of year that would get me a big raise perhaps. But the Holy Spirit taught me something valuable: What I am paid is not the best measure of my true value or worth; it is just money.

Those two moments changed my life as a college professor. My only regret is that they came so late in my career.