What does it mean to serve others? The first thing that comes to my mind is vocational ministry. A clear display of giving your life to service by making it your career. But as someone who’s never been good at public speaking and constantly worries about saying the wrong thing, I have never envisioned myself being in full-time ministry. It was a bit worrying to me, and I would ask myself: if my career wasn’t in the church, could I really say I’m obeying Christ in serving others? In high school, I decided that I wanted to pursue engineering, and that worry slowly grew. Engineering almost seemed like the opposite of ministry, with its contractual, rigid nature, and early in my college career, I constantly felt like I was never serving enough. It was only until a particular conversation I had with a friend of mine I met in an engineering class that my perspective changed.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you get angry before; how is that possible?”
That simple question led to a great opportunity to share God’s word with someone who hadn’t really heard the Gospel before. For the first time, I realized that serving others isn’t just about volunteering or working in ministry; it’s something I can do every day, wherever I am. In the same way, Christ calls us to make disciples of all the nations (Matthew 28:19); and he also uses us in the unique places we find ourselves to serve others. As 1 Peter 4:10-11 states: “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” Now, I can reach people who’ve never heard of Christ before and serve them as Christ would, through my passion for engineering, whether it’s explaining to a friend what Christianity is, or living out my faith every day at school or work and showing the peace and joy I have in Christ.
As I start my fourth year as a mechanical engineering major, I can honestly say my love for engineering and the people I meet keeps growing. I have been able to take on leadership roles and meet new people, which has given me more opportunities to share my faith and reflect God’s character. In the end, no matter where your career or life leads, you’re never out of reach for God, and there’s always a way to serve others. No matter the path you walk, your life can become a powerful testament to God’s love, transforming ordinary moments into extraordinary acts of service.
About Allison
My name is Allison Chung. I’m a Social Impact Fellow for Orchard and about to start my fourth year as a Mechanical Engineering major and Industrial Design minor at Georgia Tech. I love drawing, cooking, and baking. Being a Social Impact Fellow has taught me a lot about the great work Orchard does, and I’m really grateful to be part of it!