Just a Calling
“In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.” Acts 1:2 [emphasis mine]
I read the first chapter of Acts yesterday. Now, I don’t believe that what I’m about to say is what the chapter is actually about, but I find myself getting stuck on the little details. (Maybe because I’m super holy and have already read the whole Bible at least twice) (that’s a joke) (well, the super holy part. I have read the Bible twice) (not that I’m bragging).
Don’t get me wrong, the calling to be an apostle is a high one. For the disciples, it was the highest. To be able to walk closely with Jesus… there is no higher calling. It sure wasn’t not easy and it required everything from them. It’s not something everyone could do. I don’t think I could.
What struck me was the reminder that Jesus chose them to be these apostles. That was their calling. And, sometimes I need to remember, it’s just a calling.
In college, my church had a lack of areas to serve. It seemed like the only way you could serve was to be a lifegroup leader. But, not everyone could be a lifegroup leader. That led to issues with the lifegroup leaders thinking too highly of themselves or the lay people thinking too highly of that position. When, truth of the matter is, it was just a calling. Not everyone was called to be a lifegroup leader.
I can beat myself up because I look at the apostles and wonder if I could do that. But, maybe I wasn’t supposed to. What do I feel called to? Right now? Theatre. Okay. Am I pursuing that? Yes. Then I am right where the Lord wants me. Jesus calls us to unique things. I’m not sure that the callings are exactly equal, but we are the same as the apostles if we give ourselves fully to our calling. I may not be casting out demons and healing people in the name of Jesus, but I am trying to better myself as an artist for the glory of God. In that way, we are the same.
So, when I read the Bible and see myself as less than because I’m not doing what the apostles did, I need to remember it’s because I wasn’t called to be an apostle. (And… I’m a woman so automatically I couldn’t be one. Right? Right? 😏) I’m called to what I am called to. So are you. Let’s celebrate that as the body. When each one of us gives ourselves fully to our calling, we function much better as a body.
