Communal Calling
Imagine for a moment that you have been given a special purpose in this life.
You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way, To give his people knowledge of salvation by the forgiveness of their sins. In the tender compassion of our God the dawn from on high shall break upon us, To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, and to guide our feet into the way of peace. - Luke 1:76-79
The Gospel of Luke begins with Zechariah receiving a vision from an angel telling him he will father a child who will herald in the Messiah. That child is to be called John.
Having been born on the feast day of John the Baptist, I often wondered if there was something special God had in mind for me to do or be.
For most of my adult life, I thought that special calling I had was to treat people the way I wanted to be treated, and in business that is a big deal. Many I encountered throughout my career were not very kind or considerate of others.
You could argue that is not so special and you would be right. We should all treat others as we would have them treat us. That is the golden rule. But I think there is a need to set an example when we see the rule is broken, and that may be what the Holy Spirit guides me to do.
Is that enough?
In John's short lifetime, about half of mine right now, he managed to turn a lot of people on to hope for a future they could not even imagine. He didn't solve their problems, but instead, he got them ready for something new, something better.
How can each of us make that kind of difference in the lives of the people we meet?
Do we care enough about them to want to?
To answer any call from God, we have to care, about ourselves, about God, and about others.
It is a communal calling, a bringing together of like and unlike to live as one. And that requires respect and dignity by and for all.
We can work with people we don't like or respect, but we will not do our best job, and neither will they. We do our best when we help each other excel.
As I begin this week, I have the challenge of trying to bring together people who either despise or fear each other. I am not sure how it will turn out, but I have faith in God and the power of the Holy Spirit to guide me and give me the words to say.
Pray for those who are lost and troubled, who act out of fear and lose sight of the path. May we be like John and show them it can be made straight.
More to come...