The California Conservative
To be a religious conservative in California is truly frustrating. I didn't ask to be a conservative but for whatever reason I am. Despite my public school education, I have resisted the liberal group think of the majority. At the age of 44 I am truly amazed that I have lasted as long as I have in California without surrendering my mind to the craziness of anti-traditionalism.
It is a precarious thing to be conservative in the workforce in California. Most of us who are smart, or rather learned the hard way, do not let anyone know our political leanings at work. Once your pegged as a conservative, it can quickly become a slow road to unemployment.
So at work I have a rule which is this: I don't talk politics and I don't talk religion. I make light of everything and I change the topics whenever I feel I am being questioned with regard to my beliefs. I am the office clown and most everyone loves me because I am always joking about stupid things.
It is good in a way because I find it to be a form of escapism from myself. Even when I listen to my Christian music, I turn my phone on it's face so as not to expose what I am listing too. When I am in the lunchroom working on my Hebrew studies I am sitting with my back to the wall so that no one can see from behind me what I am doing.
I know what most conservatives are thinking. They are thinking that I am denying my faith before men, but believe me, I am not. When I was younger I boasted and paraded my Christian crosses on my desk. I wore American Flag pins on my collar. I was out there and proud. What I learned over the years though was that most people in California have had enough of that and they despise being confronted with it. Believe me, there are times and places for sharing faith openly and work is not the ideal place for this. Work is a place for...well...work.
After a while I also started to realize that by considering work a ministry field that I was missing the main point of why I was there...which was to work. And I decided that it was time to be wise as a serpent and harmless as a dove. The reality was that I needed my jobs to take care of my family and the best witness I could be for the Lord was to be the best worker I could be and stop trying to make daily opportunities for God at work.
I am not saying that we should never share our faith at work, but we should focus more on living our faith out rather than broadcasting it via whatever.
Four years ago my brother moved to the Bible belt, which is ironic because I am more conservative than him. I sit and dream of a life in the heartland where faith is tolerated more and life seems lighter. For whatever reason the Lord has me here in California. Maybe it's because there aren't enough conservatives in California? :-)
Peace continue to be with you all. :-)
You make a pretty glaring assumption in the post: that all "conservatives" are religious (specifically Christian). I live in CA, too, but I have lived in very progressive pockets and very conservative pockets.
Further, it might be helpful to stop grouping everyone/thing into such narrow binaries. The world is more complicated than "liberal" and "conservative."
That being said, I think you are correct in your understanding of vocation--that is, that you are serving God through your secular work, and that is (at least presently) your "calling" and how you serve God.
I am also a California conservative. It's dangerous! My bosses' boss found out I was not brainwashed for Hillary and basically at that point (November 2016) my career was over. He "let me go" even though I was a very productive person. Have to hide conservative beliefs even with neighbors. My children have seen other kids in school get harassed and bullied because they weren't liberal. But nothing would make me change.