an overqualified typist

I just finished typing up a paper for a friend at Seminary. As I did it, I couldn't help but think that I was a bit overqualified to be typing papers: I'm working on my master's degree, after all. And so I should be doing prestigious things like tutoring and grading. Not typing up papers. Typing's a basic skill I learned in high school.

Except that the person I'm typing them for never learned how to type in high school. While I type about 50 words a minute, he might be doing well to type 15 words a minute. He has been getting only a few hours of sleep for the past while, and I have had no problem getting enough sleep. He is trying to support a wife while taking classes full-time, and I have only myself to support (not too difficult as my tuition and rent is paid for by scholarship - and if I'm desperate I can get help from my parents). English is my native language, English is one of his several languages. I am working towards getting a ph.d. so i can help the church somewhere some day. He is in training to go back to his home country and with a master's degree would be one of the most educated theologians serving his church. it seems fairly obvious that his need is greater than mine. And as we sat together in the computer lab, he asked me for a few minutes' help. which has evolved into a couple of papers of help. How could I say no?

maybe i'm overqualified. but currently my Hebrew skills and master's degree qualifications are not exactly in demand. whereas my typing skills and my ability to proofread are. so it seems fairly obvious that i ought to suck in my self-importance and serve God in the areas He's given me now. and keep listening to where the random skills He's given me might be of the most service to Him (and thus others.)

And well, it was a nice diversion from the papers that I'm writing for myself. I'm currently trying to prove that everything that Ruth and Boaz did in the book of Ruth followed the laws of Moses (torah). A task that's made more challenging and interesting by the questions raised over what actually happened on the threshing floor when Ruth slept at the 'feet' of Boaz (Ruth 3).

On a completely different note: That I've been primarily typing papers lately is made blatantly obvious in this blog entry. The punctuation is mostly correct, especially the presence of capitals :)