Calling. Today's sermon was about our calling. I L.O.V.E.D it. It made me laugh, and it actually made me tear up. Not the sermon part...but the part where my church displays the baptism of people on the screens inside the auditorium while they take place outside in the courtyard. Specifically, a brother and a sister about 8 years old, were baptised together. I was ok with it until they joined their arms at the elbow and went backwards down into the water together. Ya- that got me. Softie.
Anyway: calling. What's my calling? What would you do if you won the lottery? A man wins the lottery and calls his wife: "Honey, I won the lottery! Pack your bags!" The wife says "Great!! Warm weather or cold?" and the man says "I don't care, so long as you're gone when I get home" (I laughed at that part, too ;-)).
Three things stuck out to me today:
1) We discover our calling, we don't choose it. I had to wrap my mind around that one, as I always thought a calling was what we chose. The Christian perspective really is that God has chosen for us and made us to be good at what will serve His purpose and kingdom. This may not necessarily be something we even enjoy or understand.
Before I met my husband, I had planned to join the Peace Corps. I had attended a meeting and was on track to join after earning my Bachelor's Degree, as this was something at the time that one needed to serve. It would have been a 2 year commitment in another country. As life has it, things changed and here I am. Not in a different country and not in the Peace Corps (not yet ;)). But at that time, I felt serving others was a calling for me. I still do. I feel it was something I discovered and it has not gone away over the last decade, though I have changed and time has passed.
2) Start thinking about the successes you have had over the course of your lifetime. Start with early achievements in childhood. This may be an indicator of what your calling is. I was a huge chatterer in my classes as a child. I made great grades but my teachers often commented that "Destiny socializes too much". If I heard the work "socialize" one more as a 10 year old, I swear...
So- I talk well. Additionally, I have been told I listen well. I also know I gravitate towards the walking wounded and people who need help. I love to help people. I had an all day work meeting at one of the hospitals I work for yesterday. I had to leave the conference rooms several times, as I was the organizer of the meetings. In the halls, patients would see me with my badge and ask me questions, of course not at all pertaining to my meetings. I really enjoyed helping the random patients and getting them where they needed to go. I loved it, actually. I loved being the person to help those in need. I don't work with the public and it was a great feeling to remember from the times that I used to. Helping.
I also love to read and I realllly love school. I am a huge school nerd. So...what would be a calling that involves: talking, listening, helping and education? Hell if I know... But at least I have a starting point!
3) What is the one limitation in your life that is the most painful for you to accept? If we can understand what we are not good at, we can begin to understand how to overcome this and flourish in what we ARE good at. This is one I think I am going to have to give some thought to. I have some ideas...but I mainly just wanted to share the question here to hopefully get my two readers (lol) thinking about that. It's a really great question and I think it can lead to some amazing answers and progressions in our lives.
One final note. The pastor completely missed a key point. During the sermon, there rang out two people's cell phones. I thought it was the PERFECT opportunity to say that was their 'calling'. But alas, it was missed. Dangit :)
Some really great dude once said "Know thyself". That would be my father (and Socrates but let's not be so specific here...). It's true. A combination of knowing oneself and in being open to prayerful consideration of what our Maker has in store for our calling and purpose is a perfect blend to our happiness and being productive members of society.
"Know thyself" in ancient Greek, public building in Germany.
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