Skye talked about living "in service for Christ" - i.e., exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit. He then quoted 1 Thessalonians 4:11, which says: "...make it your ambition to lead a quiet life. You should mind your own business and work with your hands...". "Funny", he said, "I've never heard a sermon on that verse."
Skye said that during the Protestant Reformation, only clergy had a call. The jobs laity had didn't really count - at least not as a calling. But Martin Luther came along and emphasized that we all have a call. If a job is honorable and good, said Luther, than it matters to God. Thus was born, the Protestant Work Ethic.
However, Skye continued, it seems that around the late 1800's, when the modern missionary movement began, our attention shifted to supporting those serving a call overseas -- a change from what the local church had been doing. In so doing, to some degree, it inadvertently snuffed out the idea that all vocations are of God.
Phil then went on to mention that the Bible college he attended, tended to impress that a "real call" of God meant that you were a missionary somewhere overseas - "especially if cannibals were involved!" Next best, was if you became a pastor. (Skye pointed out that pastors often work around cannibals too! Ba-Da-Bump!) The third and last option was to make a living so you could support one of the first two.
I found these to be interesting comments coming from two guys with full time Christian occupations. (Please do not misunderstand. This is not against pastors or missionaries. I'm very proud that CP continually commits 20% of their budget to missions.)
Pastor Mike, in one of his sermons this summer, mentioned William Wilberforce. Wilberforce, a politician, who was ready to toss his political career aside in favor of "ministry" after becoming a Christian. Fortunately, John Newton (the minister who wrote Amazing Grace) talked him out of it. Wilberforce became the force in the abolition of the slave trade in England. But, it took his whole adult life to do so.
Yet, even the example of Wilberforce can be daunting to the average person heading off to a regular job each day. Os Guiness has written a book aptly titled, The Call. Let me warn you, it's not light reading. I frequently found myself having to reread sentences. (It takes a long time when you have to read a book that way!) But it is a very good book about the dignity of all work. But Guiness is careful to point out that there cannot be a calling without a Caller. Back to the top of this post - that's what Vischer said was his problem. His "dream" was to become the "Christian Walt Disney". What he realized in hind site, after Big Idea Productions became no more, was that his dream had become his idol. Something good stood in front of, and replaced the Caller.
At a more simple level, the following comment would apply to me and probably most who read this, William Tyndale wrote that, if our desire is to please God; "washing dishes, cobbling shoes and preaching the Word is all one". That is a great illustration of Colossians 3:23-24. That should be our goal.
When Jim Donohue left the board a few years ago, he gave us all a copy of the classic book by Brother Lawrence called, The Practice the Presence of God. Brother Lawrence was a monk, whose job and responsibilities were to work in the kitchen. Exciting, huh? Yet, his great desire was to serve by turning the most menial task into a hymn and an act of worship to the One who called him.
As you return to work on Tuesday, let us all keep in mind the Call we have on our life. Repeating Colossians 3 in another version: Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord, rather than people.
SDG
No comments:
Post a Comment