When I was growing up in a legalistic religious system, there was a lot of talk about receiving ‘the call.’ That ‘call’ usually centered around some type of known ministry: pastors, missionaries, vocational training for a future nonprofit.
Missionaries were at the top of the elite pedestal, so altar calls often included the opportunity to serve in overseas missions. Some of these ‘calls’ worked out into a lifetime of sacrificial work around the world. Some focused on home missions, while other ‘calls’ did not work out so well. Maybe because we felt pressured to accept the ‘call.’
In my particular religion, the ‘call’ to pastoring and preaching was offered only to males. We know now that God also ‘calls’ women to leadership roles. In the world of true ministry, “We are no longer Jews or Greeks or slaves or free people or even merely men or women, but we are all the same. We are Christians. We are one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28 TLB).
A recent Beth Moore video reminded me of the honor each of us Jesus-followers carry. Each of us is ‘called’ to be God’s light in our dark world. A kind word, a helping hand, a blessing spoken to a discouraged person may be the only spiritual nugget that person receives.
Not everyone goes to church or is exposed to any kind of Bible teaching. Nonprofits that are faith-based cannot reach everyone. But every person deals with tough situations. All humans face challenges that can be lessened by a hug, by a twenty-dollar bill, by an offer to pray — right there in the produce aisle of Hy-Vee. We may be the only pathway where people are introduced to God.
Each of us is ‘called’ to love our neighbors, to defend the vulnerable, to share of our extras, to feed the hungry, to support those who need just a tiny bit of hope.
“You should be like one big happy family, full of sympathy toward each other, loving one another with tender hearts and humble minds. Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t snap back at those who say unkind things about you. Instead, pray for God’s help for them, for we are to be kind to others, and God will bless us for it” (First Peter 3:8-9 TLB).
May 2025 be the year that we expand our reach. That every time we move into the world, we accept our ‘call.’ So that everyone we meet will know we are Christians because of our love.
©2025 RJ Thesman – All Rights Reserved
Image Attribution: Kelly Sikkema / Unsplash
Check out this study for the new year: It’s All About Trust: How to Grow Your Trust in God.
AMEN!