What defines our life, purpose and calling? Is it our environment, circumstances, accomplishments, failures, successes, how long we’ve lived or been saved?
Ephesians 4:1-7 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.
Accepting Jesus as our savior, being baptized in water and the Holy Spirit and even our church faithfulness does not define our life in Christ. All the milestones in my life do not define me. We’re not defined by what happens to us or what we do, but instead by our Kingdom response to each and every event in our life. These are only stepping-stones and building blocks upon which we are able to launch out into God’s next Kingdom purposed event.
Do we honestly believe Christ, the One & only Son of God; 1/3rd of the Trinity; keynote member of creation, redemption and eternal salvation; King of Kings; Lord of Lords; heir of the Most High; who was, is and is to come, etc. etc. etc.; would freely walk away from His place in Heaven, become mortal, endure our depraved & pathetic existence, purposely put himself in harms way, die in the most graphic and horrific manner known to man at the time just so we can say a prayer, have our weekly dance cards punched, and secure our spot in a heavenly mansion? GOD FORBID!
How many of us would invest so much and expect so little in return? Yet, many of us have lived it and are just waiting for our final punch out of this old world. Christ may not expect much more out of us than that; however, how much more should we expect out of ourselves having been giving so much?
What good is an ambassador from the US, who does absolutely nothing to build relationships, establish a good name and further the interest of the US in the country he is assigned? If he is not accomplishing the kingdom purpose of the US, the President calls him home, and replaces him with another who will. Then this poor ambassador must give an account for his tenure in the place he was assigned. How much more is expected of a Christ ambassador? Are we building Kingdom relationships, establishing the good name of our Lord and advancing His Kingdom interest where we are, where we go and where we are sent?
1 Corinthians 13 is called the “Love” chapter in the bible, and most people focus on “love” as it relates to relationships, marriage and church. When I read this passage I focus on these things:
- All that I hope and have fulfilled in my life is worthless without God’s love at its core.
- All that I know will fade and pass away, but love, God’s and mine will remain long after I’m gone.
- I don’t have the luxury of clinging to my pain, hurt and bitterness because love has washed it away.
- I don’t have the right or privilege to claim ignorance or naivety, especially at my age physically and in Christ.
- I am entitled to absolutely nothing in this life, and the love, grace and mercy given me in Christ is a gift independent of my actions or worth.
- Time is too precious and fleeting to let even this very moment slip away without God’s love present, active & reflecting.
A pastor friend in San Marcos posted this the other day; “Our perspective of the lost reflects our position with God. If we don’t care about them, we don’t care about God.”
We have to get out of our “defend until we can escape” posture, and be on the offensive. Never in the history of warfare has a commander taken on the enemy and gained ground in a defensive posture. Advancement only comes when we take the battle to the enemy. Many of us are just biding our time to get to heaven. This is and never has been the will of Christ, as recorded in John 17:15, “I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.”
Have we taken ourselves out of the game, the battle, and become content with being no more than a spectator, a fan? Are we so arrogant, puffed up, in what we’re doing in the name of Christ and advancing the Kingdom that we live more for the name on the back of our jersey, than the name of the team on our chest, the one written in our heart?
The worth of our calling will never be measured by what we do or don’t do. It can only be weighed by our obedience to respond to His voice, His will and in His power. We must ask ourselves, are we walking worthy of our calling and fulfilling our Kingdom purpose in Christ?
James Miller Jr
“Missionary to a Generation”
*Published in the January 16, 2014 issue of the Port Aransas South Jetty newspaper. via Walk Worthy Of Your Calling – Grace Church of Port Aransas.
