Recently, my 14-year old son joined me at the non-profit transportation company that I run. He will be working as an apprentice on a part-time basis over the summer school break in our vehicle maintenance department. It is difficult for younger teens to find meaningful work, and even more so in the areas of the skilled trades. However, with the arrival of electric buses and charging controls, automotive trades are rapidly requiring skills honed at the gaming stations of a new generation.
The Cambridge Dictionary defines an apprentice as someone who has agreed to work for a skilled person for a particular period of time and often for low payment, in order to learn that person’s skills. For example: Michelangelo was apprenticed to Ghirlandaio in Florence for three years prior to setting out on his own. While it is hard to imagine him as anything less than a master of art, architecture, and science, the fact is that we all begin at a common point of knowing little and needing to learn and grow in skill and proficiency. For most of us, this begins in the first tottering days of preschool, and continues on through university and beyond.
Additionally, in recent years, there’s been a noticeable shift in the career aspirations of younger generations. Skilled trade careers are experiencing a resurgence in popularity. This has also been highlighted on social media platforms.
Young tradespeople are sharing their day-to-day experiences, inspiring a new generation to consider careers in skilled trades over traditional college routes. There is a young electrician who has over 1.1 million online followers, and she posts on various tasks. She illustrates the technical skills involved in her job and also shows young followers that hers is a fulfilling and lucrative career path.
Consider the metaphor of being an apprentice in our journey as true Christians. We must understand that as true Christians we are all apprenticed to the Father and Jesus Christ. As the apostles before us, we must study the Scriptures to better understand the importance of Paul’s words in Romans 10, 14-15 (New International Version throughout): “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’” Continuing in verse 17: “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.”
These verses illustrate the importance of listening and learning from those who were sent and understand more than we do.
Jesus Christ was also an apprentice to the Father in Heaven as we see in John 8:29: “The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.” But Jesus was also an apprentice in the human sense as a carpenter alongside His human father, Joseph. We see this when Jesus was preparing for His ministry and preaching the Word in the synagogue. He was not treated as a master and expert in the Scriptures, but rather, as a carpenter’s son. This was not to denigrate Jesus for being a carpenter, but this trade was simply not considered on par with the Pharisees of the day. The leaders of the congregation illustrated this in Mark 6:3: “‘Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?’ And they took offense at him.” They took offense because they did not see Jesus as a teacher or an equal, but rather as a young upstart.
Yet, while He was honing His craft as a carpenter, He was also preparing for His own ministry. He studied the Scriptures and quoted the prophets and books of the Old Testament on many occasions. Even as He was dying on the cross for our sins, Jesus quoted a portion of Psalm 22:1: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Jesus learned at the Father’s side and lived His life by obeying the commandments and preparing for His public ministry.
He also was, and is: The Master, as we read in Luke 16:13: “No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” The supremacy of Jesus Christ is unmatched and forever will be. He is Lord and Master of the Creation, and our coming King of the New Jerusalem.
Consider now the role that Timothy played with the apostle Paul. Paul became a mentor to the younger man. He realized that Timothy had the calling from God and substance to become a minister of God’s Word and began to train him for what lay ahead. We see this in 2 Timothy 3:10-12: “You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted…”
Life entails apprenticeships in many ways. I could not have been a city manager without first serving as a deputy for many years and learning the intricacies of leading a city. Doctors and lawyers train for years prior to handling cases of their own.
King David realized that his son Solomon was not quite prepared for leadership in 1 Chronicles 29:1: “Then King David said to the whole assembly: ‘My son Solomon, the one whom God has chosen, is young and inexperienced. The task is great, because this palatial structure is not for man but for the LORD God.” David was praying for and preparing to hand the kingdom to his son Solomon. He had trained Solomon for leadership, but now trusted that God Himself would finish the task.
We can also go back to the time of Moses when God instructed Moses to take on Joshua as an apprentice. We see this described in Numbers 27:18-21: “So the LORD said to Moses, ‘Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay your hand on him. Have him stand before Eleazar the priest and the entire assembly and commission him in their presence. Give him some of your authority so the whole Israelite community will obey him.He is to stand before Eleazar the priest, who will obtain decisions for him by inquiring of the Urim before the LORD. At his command he and the entire community of the Israelites will go out, and at his command they will come in.’”
In our physical world, an apprenticeship typically involves our work life or vocation. In the more important spiritual sense, becoming an apprentice with God and Jesus Christ is more akin to an enduring discipleship with Jesus. We must show up for this training and take our responsibilities seriously. There will always be the distractions of work, family, and hobbies, but think of this opportunity to train under the very best Master ever—not simply once in a lifetime, but forever!