December 14
Deuteronomy 6:4-8
4 “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. 6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes."
A Holy Perspective
by Michael Rodriguez, MBA
I am not surprised that I already have a sense of awe reflecting on my short three semesters so far on faculty at Baylor. Leaving 30-plus years in industry as a C-level executive in exciting, fast-growth companies, I did so with eager expectancy for God to do wondrous things. Wondrous? That is such an understatement, and yes, I can say that without equivocation after only three semesters.
The most gratifying aspect of serving on faculty is the opportunity I have to mentor and connect with students. They are, after all, those to whom my generation will hand the mantle of leadership of our world. As faculty, we have the auspicious opportunity, arguably unique here at Baylor, to share how each of us has seen the Lord’s faithful provision, protection and providence. By His grace, we can see clearly in retrospect the way His love has carried us through prior times that may have seemed obscure then, as we tried to see with foresight.
This is what Moses, the writer of Deuteronomy, was conveying to the Israelites. His audience was the younger generation of Israelites who were being allowed to enter the promised land, which was not allowed for the preceding generation due to their disobedience and faithlessness. Moses’s admonition to the group of soon-to-be recipients of the promised land: remember forever and remind others always.
Moses could remind the younger generation of God’s goodness and faithfulness because Moses saw it firsthand. Even in the times of bondage, discouragement and disappointment, God was still among His people. His love and His care were ever-present and never-ending. Moses and the Israelites saw limitless, miraculous works. It was imperative that Moses reminded members of the upcoming generation, so that when they experienced hardships, they knew that God could rescue them in the future because God had rescued them in the past.
We are called to remind others of God’s love, provision and protection, “when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” In other words, “at all times,” no matter what we are doing or to whom we are talking. As a faculty member, I take great joy in showing, telling and demonstrating the goodness of God to my students. My story can help shape their stories by remembering all the ways God has shown ceaseless faithfulness in my life, and reminding students that His faithfulness never wanes. The love and grace He has lavished on my life is present in theirs and equally available to them. My students can share in turn about God’s goodness with their fellow students because of the ways they have seen His goodness in their lives.
No matter what our position is, what matters most is the perspective we maintain. When I look back, look up and look within, I can more confidently look forward because God is faithful. When we remember His goodness, then His command to love Him with all our heart, soul and might is simply a response to His loving nature.
Our faith is meant to be passed on; we are meant to inspire and influence those in our spheres. We are called to be an example of God’s love and a model of faithfulness for others to follow, to remember forever and remind others always of God’s goodness at all times and in all circumstances.
About the Author
Michael Rodriguez, MBA
Michael Rodriguez is a clinical assistant professor of Accounting, having joined Hankamer School of Business after three decades of service as a chief financial officer and chief operating officer in high-growth, early-stage companies. Rodriguez has taught in higher education for 10 years, previously serving as an adjunct professor of accounting at the Crowell School of Business at Biola University.
He holds an M.B.A. from Stanford University and a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Southern California. He is a certified public accountant (inactive), licensed in California. In addition to serving on faculty of HSB, Rodriguez advises numerous early-stage companies and serves on the board of directors of others.
