calling

Find Your Place

/ JJS / 2 Comments

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Today’s readings (click below to open in new tab/window):
Psalms 97; 147:12-20, 1 Samuel 20:24-42, Acts 13:1-12, Mark 2:23-3:6

Has anyone ever done you the favor of not giving you a promotion?

Our culture teaches us to want that next step on the ladder, the better title, the bigger income. We throw around “motivational” phrases like “if you’re not moving forward you’re moving backward.” If we are content with our current position and don’t seek advancement, we’re often perceived as unmotivated, despite being strong performers. Contrary to the constant message to move up, forward, and beyond, we need to differentiate between where we belong and where we’re pressured to go. If we rely on others to do that, we may be letting them set us up for failure.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with pursuing new opportunities, but let’s understand why we seek them. What makes us good (and happy) at our job is not always what makes us a good candidate for the next level. Not every top salesperson makes a competent director. Not every skilled physician should be chief of staff. Not every great chef has the business savvy to run a restaurant. Fortunately, we need many more people to provide services and manufacture goods than we do managers and CEOs. Whatever your job is, doing it well to support yourself, your family, and your community is as successful as it gets.

King Saul was furious with his son Jonathan for siding with David – whom Saul saw as a rival – and effectively forfeiting his opportunity to succeed his father as king. Both Jonathan and Saul knew David would be far better for the nation of Israel than either of them, but only Jonathan did not fear someone else’s success created his failure. For years all of Israel suffered, and ultimately Jonathan died, for Saul’s lack of perspective.

If someone tells you to know your place, it’s demeaning. When you determine where your place is, and claim it in service to the Lord, it empowers you to meet God’s calling in your life. To Christ, the person who harvests the crops is equal to the person who owns the farm. Why betray that love by thinking less of ourselves?

Additional Reading:
Read more about today’s passage from Mark in Ideology or Idolatry and A Responsible Sabbath.

Comfort: Success is found where you are, regardless of where you are going.

Challenge: Every morning for a week, write down what you can do to be successful that day. At the end of the day, review your list.

Prayer: You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.. (Psalm 16:2)

Discussion: Have you ever found yourself in a job where you were over your head?

Join the discussion! If you enjoyed this post, feel free to join an extended discussion as part of the C+C Facebook group. You’ll be notified of new posts through FB, and have the opportunity to share your thoughts with some lovely people. Or feel free to comment here on WordPress, or even re-blog – the more the merrier!

Collecting Calls

/ JJS / Leave a comment

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Today’s readings (click below to open in new tab/window):
Psalms 51; 148, 1 Samuel 3:1-21, Acts 2:37-47, Luke 21:5-19

What do you feel called to do?

To leave behind a legacy – a lasting work that will be remembered long after you’re gone? To make the most of this life through travel, friendship, love, art, or memories forged?  To stillness and simplicity, an empyting of the self that allows you to simply be? So many possibilities. Could it be that ultimately all these callings are in pursuit of the same thing?

Young Samuel, who had served under Eli at the temple in Shiloh, had a literal calling from the Lord. Twice one night the Lord called to him, but both times Samuel mistook the voice for Eli, and twice Eli sent him back to his room. The third time the Lord called, Eli realized what was going on and told Samuel to say, “Speak, for your servant is listening.“

The message the Lord had for Samuel was one of destruction for Eli and his corrupt sons, who abused the priesthood and their nation. Eli seemed resigned to his fate, saying only, “It is the LORD; let him do what seems good to him.”

Aren’t we all called to contentment and a feeling of completeness? We can head down a lot of wrong roads trying to figure out where that call is leading us. Accomplishments – of wealth, fame, creativity, etc. – for their own sake never quite get us there; it seems there’s always one more hurdle to leap before the finish line. Even when we are doing our best to serve the Lord it can seem like we’re knocking on all the wrong doors. If someone doesn’t prompt us to pause and take stock, we may never ask whether we’re answering the right call.

Eli, for all his failings, finally understood the most peaceful thing we can do is trust and obey God. Does that mean not having to make any effort? To the contrary, it make take a whole lot of effort, but as Christ assures us his burden is light.

That hole in your heart isn’t waiting to be filled by God. It’s where God waits to be found.

Read more on today’s passage from Luke in The Best Defense or more about our Acts passage in Christian Community.

Comfort: Sometimes you can find out where you need to go when you stop moving for a little while.

Challenge: Keep a diary of how you spend your time. What does it tell you about your priorities?

Prayer: Speak, for your servant is listening.

Discussion: What kind of activity do you find the most fulfilling?

Join the discussion! If you enjoyed this post, feel free to join an extended discussion as part of the C+C Facebook group. You’ll be notified of new posts through FB, and have the opportunity to share your thoughts with some lovely people. Or feel free to comment here on WordPress, or even re-blog – the more the merrier!