Not Hidden

By God's help, we can effectively display our faith, showing the world that, in whatever circumstances, we are trusting in Him. 1st Corinthians 15 states:
57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

Wherever we are called, we can seek to be a powerful witness for Jesus. As we grow in our knowledge of Him and His Word, it will bring forth lasting fruit that can be seen.  When we combine our knowledge of God with the determination to seek Him and to obey Him, we can become the bold witness that He desires for us to be.  We do not hide our faith, as Jesus cautioned, but we allow His light to shine through us.

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We have the instruction of God's Word to build up our faith, and as we continue to trust Him, we can know that He will show Himself faithful. Jesus taught in Matthew 5, in the Sermon on the Mount:
13 "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
14 You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.
15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.

Perhaps you are familiar with the story of the so-called "Hidden Figures" in the U.S. space program in the 60's.  These African-American ladies worked diligently behind the scenes in an age where they had to use paper and pencil, or as the movie portrays it, chalk to chalkboard, in order to make precise calculations regarding the trajectory of a manned space flight.  Through incredible knowledge and application, this team, most notably Katherine Johnson, were instrumental in making sure that a man in space returned home safely without facing severe consequences upon re-entry.

A new CBN.com article portrays the woman who has been referred to as the fourth "hidden figure."  She had a fondness for math, and wanted to be a mathematician. The article says that at Hampton University, she "was undaunted as a student. Taking six math classes at one time, she was often the only woman in a classroom full of men. Her faith and determination pushed her forward." She said that, "Things in the Bible helped me live the life and believe that God can help me do certain things and work with me in certain ways," adding, "Well, how can I take six math courses?"

Her father suggested that she get a teaching certificate because he was concerned that she might not get hired anywhere as a mathematician because of her race. But she said, "I think my mind turned to people not hiring African American mathematicians, maybe because African Americans weren't becoming mathematicians."

That was the mindset of Christine Darden, the fourth "hidden figure," who would not allow color barriers to hold her back. She was a classmate of Katherine Johnson's daughter.  But, as CBN describes it:

Christine hadn't considered she could one day work at NASA. So, she graduated and began teaching mathematics.

"And the students tell me when I talked that they could hear the passion in my voice," she said.

Ultimately, while she was working on her Master's at Virginia State University, she found out from a woman in the placement office that NASA had been on campus - she was encouraged to send in her resume, and in 2-1/2 weeks, she had an offer.  The article relates:

Christine was among the last of the so-called "Human Computers," or data analysts, to be hired at NASA. It didn't take long before she wanted to do more.

"I brought up the issue of why the male with the math degree is doing the engineering, and the female with the math degree is drawing a curve, which is what I was doing at first," she explained. "And that was when I went to the director and said, 'Why is it that you're not treating the same backgrounds with the same kinds of jobs? You're giving the people who have pretty much the same background, but you're giving them vastly different jobs.' I left his office and that was when I got promoted, I got transferred."

Now an aerospace engineer, Christine became an internationally known expert in high-speed aerodynamics and sonic booms, specifically, by writing a computer program on sonic boom minimization.

A Movieguide article says that, "The 79-year-old Darden has acknowledged her indebtedness to the Bible, a testament to faith in the trials of life. Her thirst for knowledge has not changed much from that blunt curiosity she had in her youth, taking apart a doll to see what made it talk back." The article points out: "Though she wasn’t featured in the production, the biblical principles in the movie applied to her life, as well."

There are a couple of principles that come to mind when considering this story.  I think one of them has to do with faith and knowledge. Christine Darden acquired knowledge and she apparently was driven by faith in God.  Our dependence on God can help us to apply what we have learned to the challenges we encounter in this life.  Our reliance on Him can help to show us how we can apply the knowledge we gain.

Another principle has to do with faith and determination. This was one determined woman, and she actually overcame barriers having to do with race and gender in order to soar in the profession that she pursued.  We may face challenges in this life that threaten to block us from what God has called us to do. His Spirit will give us not only the knowledge and ability, but also the determination in order to complete the mission to which God has appointed us. 

There's also an element of faith on display.  She was known as a "hidden figure," working behind the scene to support missions to space.  But, what we are not called to do is to allow our faith in the Lord to be hidden; it should be demonstrated as we allow God to show Himself through us.  Our ambition should be to glorify Him in all things.