Future employers will most likely not look twice at our minor in biblical studies. That’s okay, though. It’s okay because our motivation for success at Biola shouldn’t be a grade point average. It should be for the day when we will sing before our God: holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.

Our kingdom isn’t on earth. The highest paying job can’t change that. Jesus came to start a process of kingdom transformation here on earth so that we can enjoy the fullness of God’s kingdom in our glorified bodies one day in heaven. That should be the first thought we have when an alarm wakes us up for our three-hour class at 7:30 a.m. We should seek out how we can make an impact for the kingdom from the first moment of our day all the way until we fall asleep.

But the reality is, most of us don’t give a second thought to the kingdom, unless we happen to have a Thoennes class that day. We become too consumed with worries over tests and papers. We forget that the kingdom of heaven is here. It’s now. And God is working in this world whether we take part in it or not.

Using talents for the kingdom

When the kingdom takes second — or third, or fourth — place in our lives, we miss out. Imagine the joy that comes after obeying the Holy Spirit’s prompting to speak to a stranger on the bus, only to find out that person had been desiring to know more about Jesus but didn’t know who to ask. Imagine the abounding joy of following the Holy Spirit’s nudge to pray for the woman in line behind you at Wal-Mart.

This kind of success will last into eternity. We all would do well to ask God how we can join him in his work in Los Angeles County, even while we are in school. If we can make time to study and see friends, we can prioritize time for what matters most in the end.

To be sure, classwork and homework is kingdom work. When we learn about the things God has created and what we can do with them, we are glorifying him. Understanding the process of cell division swells in us greater awe of how complex and incredible his creation — and by extension, he — is.

We all have talents that we can use to advance the kingdom, but our goal is not to display those talents, but to use them to make disciples.

Eternal legacy, present mission

This brings to mind the verse in Matthew that talks about storing up treasures in heaven rather than accumulating them here on earth where they can be stolen and rot away. Whatever riches we attain or treasures we earn on this earth will eventually pass away — along with all of our success and accomplishments. But what we do for the glory of our King to further his kingdom will literally last an eternity.

The best part? This is something that we are capable of doing right here, right now. We do not have to wait until after we have a degree, are financially stable or married with kids. We can be working now to impact the people immediately around us, the ones we see everyday, for the sake of the kingdom.