What if you went on a job interview knowing that you were already a valued employee with unlimited potential and talent, and that you already had the best job you could ever have, as well as infinite resources at your disposal and all the benefits one needs to thrive and feel secure? 

God is often thought of as our true Parent, traditionally as our Father. Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, placed equal emphasis on the motherhood of God, referring to God as Father-Mother, as well as “our Minister and the great Physician” (Miscellaneous Writings 1883–1896, p. 151).

But how often do we also think of God as the great employer? 

I’ve learned through my study of Christian Science that God is the source of all good, and is continually “employing” us to express His qualities, such as intelligence, creativity, flexibility, happiness, generosity, inclusiveness, and so on. We all possess these qualities as the reflection of our Father-Mother God, and we each express them in our own unique way. God provides us with the overflowing stream of unending benefits—such as love, health, eternal life, and divine ideas—that constitute our daily unlimited supply. 

Who could ask for a better, more secure job than the one we can never lose?

How often do we think of God as the great employer? 

Years ago, I had an opportunity to think more deeply about God as my employer after I finished a graduate degree and was looking for work. Unable to find an entry-level executive position through traditional efforts, I took what I perceived to be a lesser job. There I learned some needed lessons in humility, and before long I came across a job opening in another city that appeared to be a great fit for me.

I applied and was accepted for an interview. I wanted to be mentally well prepared, and called a Christian Science practitioner for support. A practitioner is one who dedicates his or her full time to helping others gain health and freedom from limiting beliefs through prayer as taught in Christian Science.

As the practitioner and I prayed, it became clear to me that my focus going into the interview should be on what I could give—on the spiritual qualities I expressed that would benefit the company—rather than on what I could get in the form of salary or benefits. I took this divine guidance to heart: I remember sitting on the plane on the way to the interview and making a list of the qualities I would bring to any new job. It was a fun exercise to think about giving instead of getting, and these are some of the qualities I wrote down: enthusiasm, loyalty, dedication, reliability, courtesy, and a sense of humor. By the time I finished, I felt completely at peace about the interview.

This made the interview itself a joyful experience. I was not nervous at all, despite a minor mishap when I accidentally knocked a jar of wrapped candies from the interviewer’s desk onto the carpeted floor, spilling the contents. Had I been nervous about the interview, this would have flustered and embarrassed me. Instead I bent down, quickly scooped the candies back into the jar, and carried on with the interview!

I was hired for that job, and it was a perfect first step in what has been a rewarding career. 

Governed by His law, God’s children are never out of their right place, or without a place. 

Recently, I came across the list I had made on the airplane at the bottom of an old briefcase, and it got me thinking about interviews in a different light. I realized that whether or not we are looking for a job, we can always “interview” with our divine employer. That is to say, at any moment we have the opportunity to commune with God, divine Mind, and listen for His guidance. Unlike any other employer, our God is always available—ready to hear us and to answer our prayers. The great thing is, we don’t need to tell God anything because, as divine Mind, He already knows all, including what our talents and abilities are. Under divine Mind’s unerring direction, we are always placed where these talents and abilities can be recognized and best utilized. Governed by His—Love’s—law, God’s children are never out of their right place, or without a place. 

Christ Jesus advised, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33). And in the book of James we read, “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you” (4:8). These two Bible verses were familiar to me, but took on new meaning when I considered them in relation to a career. 

Sometimes we get caught up in thinking about promotions and advancement, but these passages assure us that when we put God first in our lives and seek to understand Him, the rest will come; we will have everything we need and deserve. As we draw close to God by striving to do His will, we will feel His presence and come to know Him as our generous and loving employer.

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