Recently I stumbled upon Max Lucado’s enchanting children’s story, “You Are Mine.” It’s a tale of little wooden people who obsess over collecting the biggest empty boxes and balls, and the madness that ensues. One wooden person, however, finds solace and identity in the embrace of his wood-maker.
I recall the early days of my tenure-track appointment. The air all around me was thick with a frantic pursuit of publications, grants, recognitions, and accolades; everyone’s sole job responsibility was to make a name for themselves in any way possible.
A Touch More Peace
Subconsciously but distinctly, this underlying madness left me apprehensive of how I would navigate the next six years without losing myself in the process.
But amidst the whirlwind, there was a blessing from God — a perspective that granted me a touch more peace and rest than I might have otherwise known.
It starts with the question: why should the way I approach my work during the tenure process be any different than in the rest of my academic career? I had no intention of changing my approach to work before and after tenure – I would not want to mislead my employer by portraying one persona during the probationary phase, only to become someone different afterwards.
A Mutual Interview
Thus, the corollary naturally follows: if I must conform to something I find distasteful in order to appease my employer during the tenure process, it may imply that this career is not one I desire in the long run.
This somewhat unconventional perspective shifted the tenure journey from a nerve-wracking trial into a mutual interview. It wasn’t merely about whether I could secure tenure, but whether a tenure-track position aligned with the life I envisioned. This phase was for both the university and me to assess our mutual compatibility, and the most accurate assessment would emerge if I simply aligned my work with my principles and with the Christ-honoring life I aspire to live.
Enough Breathing Room
Maintaining such a perspective wasn’t always easy. Day after day, I was immersed in a world where accumulating boxes and balls was all the rage. The contagious enthusiasm for these pursuits often tempted my prideful, sinful self and threatened to engulf me.
By God’s grace, I frequently found myself reflecting on this perspective, though imperfectly, often disoriented and adrift, and repeatedly having to stumble back to clarity. I found enough breathing room to maintain some bandwidth in trying to recognize that God is the only person I answer to and to strive for the peaceful, joyful life He intended for me.
Like a Quiet Message
Eventually, I did receive tenure; but instead of a grand celebration, it felt more like a quiet message that, at least for now, God has use for me in this role.
Will adopting such an attitude towards the tenure process enhance one’s chances of securing tenure? No, I don’t think so — but that’s not the goal. The goal is to help ensure that if tenure is received, one would actually be in a place that resonated with their life’s grander vision.
And for Christ followers, this vision ultimately finds its resolution in the embrace of our Maker, where we discover genuine identity and peace.
