What’s My Calling?

A teacher once told me that her students have stopped wanting to be doctors and lawyers and now want to be “social media influencers”. From a worldly perspective, we can understand this can’t we? This would yield fame and easy money, both of which are highly valued in a society such as ours.

But I wonder if our young people highly valuing these things has also filtered into our own belief system at some level. Of course, few who are reading this want to be an “influencer”. That would not be the goal of most of us and maybe not even one of us.

However, as you consider your calling as a Christian, do you ever think you are “just a mom” or “just an admin assistant” or “just a store clerk”?

“Just a ______________”. Fill in the blank with your own title.

This often leads us to believe we aren’t doing enough for Christ. And perhaps we aren’t. But this will be because we aren’t living for Christ and not because of where we are placed in this life.

I was reading a book by a missionary a few weeks ago and in one chapter she was putting her readers on a severe guilt trip for not going to foreign countries to tell others about Jesus. At first, I was quite moved. But then, as I reflected on her words, I was convinced she was not correct in approaching missions in this way.

Yes, some people are called to be missionaries and pastors. There are those who will do “great things” for the Lord. But we can’t all do that. And we aren’t all supposed to do that. That is not the calling for everyone.

So what is the calling of every believer?

After I read what the missionary wrote, God providentially led me to Titus 2, where Paul describes the godly believer in every stage: Older men, older women, younger women, younger men.

He says this—

But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine: That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.
Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded. In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you. (Titus 2:1-8)

He then goes on to write what servants are to be like as they serve their masters and then gives this command to all believers, no matter their place or status in life—

Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; (Titus 2:12-13)

These passages give a message that is in complete opposition to our culture. Here we see that what we do for a living or how much of an influence we have is irrelevant. We are to live soberly, righteously, and godly wherever God has placed us in this life.

Wherever we are is where we are to live wholeheartedly for God. And by living this way, we will have a godly influence on those around us which God can use for His purposes and His glory.

We live in an era where it’s all about numbers. We are now taught that the larger the number, the more successful the church or event or person. But this is not a biblical formula for success and, truthfully, it never has been in historical Christianity.

Titus 2 is just one place in the New Testament that describes how we are to live as believers. There are many others, including specifically Romans 12, Colossians 3, Ephesians 5, Galatians 5, most of James, and the last few verses of Jude.

If you take the time to examine these passages, you will notice that none of these passages encourage us to do “BIG THINGS” for Jesus. Instead we are told to live for Christ as parents, as children, as servants, as siblings in Christ. Wherever we are is where we are to live in daily surrender to God, denying our flesh and living in a manner that becomes a follower of Christ.

So let’s not lose sight of what scripture tells us matters in this “Christian” culture that is so very confused about what matters.

May we, day by day, live for Jesus so that others will notice we are not the same as the world around us. May we strive to live holy, joyful lives that honor God as we look for the blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our Savior, Jesus Christ.