Living a Called Life
How do you answer the phone?
Hello?
This is (Insert Name).
Yeah?
Hey!
Talk to me.
Wazzup?
Choose to ignore it.
We could all get the same phone call, and yet we have different responses.
But what if God calls? How do we respond then? I know that seems crazy—what if God calls? But He does!
We rarely hear about the call of God outside of church. But within church circles, we hear it fairly often.
“She was called to be a missionary, or he was called to be a minister to the homeless, or he was called to a church out west.”
But do we hear “she was called to be a nurse, or he was called to be an electrician?”
We often limit the call of God to professional fields and divine places to churches, mission fields, and such.
But that thinking is so off base.
In Ephesians 1:18, Paul writes, “I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.”
Paul wasn’t addressing a group of pastors or religious professionals here; he was talking to tentmakers, fishermen, shopkeepers, and government officials—everyday people like you and I—who made up the first century church. What an empowering statement! No longer are you “just” anything; no longer are you common, ordinary, or average. You are called of God!
Do we live a called life?
Being called by God means we are called to live a life worthy of the calling.
Ephesians 2:1-2 says, “Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.”
1 Peter 3:8-12 says, “Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude. Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will grant you his blessing. For the Scriptures say, “If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies. Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it. The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers. But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil.”
Many of us don’t live a life that says, “We are called.” We tend to lead a more “We are comfortable” life.
We don’t want anything to either disturb us or excite us; we prefer to be neutral.
We don’t mind the hard work of being a Christian; we can watch others do it all day.
Rather than being world changers, we have become chair warmers.
Our Christianity is inactive, and therefore, we will not get the results we are looking for.
There was a story told of a missionary to China who was in language school. The first day of class the teacher entered the room and, without saying a word, walked down every row of students. Then, she walked out of the room again. When she returned, she asked, “Did you notice anything about me?” Nobody had noticed anything in particular. One student finally said, “I noticed you were wearing very lovely perfume.” The class chuckled. But the teacher said, “That was exactly the point. You see, it will be a long time before any of you will be able to speak Chinese well enough to share the gospel with anyone. But even before you are able to do that, you can minister the sweet fragrance of Christ to these people by the quality of your lives. It is your lifestyle, lived out among the Chinese people, that will minister Christ to them long before you are able to say one word to them about personal faith in Jesus.” (from Stories of a Faithful Heart)
We need to live like we have been called. This kind of Christianity is externalized not internalized; it’s lived out in everyday life not just thought about. To be called by God means we do something with the faith we’ve been given and show the world that faith in Christ is not a crutch, a safety cushion, or simply, fire insurance. To be called by God is to take a pro-active stand for what we believe to be true and to take our faith seriously.
Being called by God means we are called to recognize gifts and talents that we possess and use and develop them.
1 Peter 4:10 (The Living Bible) says, “God has given each of you some special abilities; be sure to use them to help each other, passing on to others God’s many kinds of blessings.”
Each one of us are ordinary people that God has made extraordinary by giving us gifts and talents through His spirit. We just need a willingness to serve.
Most people want the benefits of the body of Christ—but they refuse to be a benefit to the body. God has placed us where we are and has given us the gifts that those around us need. When we fail to use and employ those gifts, the body is incomplete and unhealthy—like the human body with a hand or foot that doesn’t work.
We need each other. The body of Christ needs you. We need your talents and abilities to grow. The gifts and abilities we have are not for our own personal improvement.
That’s often the problem—we turn inward and use our gifts for ourselves. What we have, God expects us to use for others and for the uplifting of the body of Christ.
Think about this:
Who flew the kite?
“I did,” said the sticks.
“I did,” said the paper.
“I did,” said the boy.
“No, I did,” said the wind.
But they all flew the kite together. If the sticks had broken, the tail caught in a tree, the paper torn, or the wind had lulled, the kite would have come down. Each had a part to play.
The application is inescapable. We have work to do. If the work of the Lord is to be a success, then every follower of Jesus must do their part. We have the work of serving, giving, teaching, sharing, encouraging, and countless other jobs to do to make the work of the Lord and our ministry successful.
Many of us think—I don’t have talent. I can’t do anything for Jesus. That is simply untrue. We all have something that we can do for God.
I read of a man who was involved in a tragic accident. He lost both legs and his left arm and only a finger and thumb remained on the right hand. But he still possessed a brilliant mind. At first, he thought there was nothing he could do but remain a helpless sufferer. A thought came to him. It was always nice to receive letters, but why not write them—he could still use his right hand with some difficulty. He wrote to a Christian organization with prison ministry. He was told his letters could not be answered—it was against prison rules, but he commenced this one-sided correspondence. He wrote twice a week, and it taxed his strength to the limit. But into the letters he put his whole soul, all his experience, all his faith, all his wit, and all his Christian optimism. Frequently, he felt discouraged and was tempted to give up. But it was his one remaining activity, and he resolved to continue as long as he could. At last, he got a letter. It was short, written on prison stationary by the officer whose duty it was to censor the mail. All it said was: “Please write on the best paper you can afford. Your letters are passed from cell to cell till they literally fall to pieces.” No matter what our personal situation is, we still have God-given gifts and talent, experience, and encouragement that we can share with others. (Unanswered Letters-Author Unknown)
Being called by God means we are called to tell others about Jesus.
1 Peter 3:15 says, “Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.”
We must fulfill our ministry on earth. As a Jesus follower, we are to continue what Jesus started.
We have the greatest news in the world and sharing it is the greatest kindness we can show anyone. God wants us to share our story and what Jesus has done for us where we are. No matter who we are or what we do--student, mother, preschool teacher, plumber, salesman, manager, etc.--we should seek to share the love of Jesus wherever we are.
William James said, “The best use of life is to spend it for something that outlasts it.”
We have been given a great responsibility to share the love of Jesus with those around us. There are people on earth who only you will be able to reach, because of where you live and who God has made you to be. Your life is meant to make a difference.
Bill Bright said, “God has placed in our trust a measure of time, a unique set of talents, and sufficient resources to carry out His will for each of our lives. Our task as faithful stewards is to manage those blessings in order to bring the maximum glory to His name.”
We are called; let’s live like it!
