I read this earlier and felt it was worth sharing. I pray you are blessed by it as I was.
“Wanted: Person to fill the role of forerunner for the Messiah. Job involves travel (mostly in wilderness areas) and public speaking. Must not be afraid of confrontational situations. Applicant must be willing to wear clothing made of camel’s hair and eat a diet consisting of locusts and wild honey. Position requires martyrdom. Only serious candidates should apply.”
Does that sound like anyone’s idea of a dream job? Probably not! But this was the very important job that John the Baptist was called to do! The Angel Gabriel tells John’s father, Zechariah, that his son would “be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born.” (Luke 1:15) His job would be “to turn the hearts of their parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous – to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” (Luke 1:17)
John wasn’t able to look for personal fulfillment by seeking out his dream job – as we are so often encouraged to do in our modern culture. He would never climb the corporate ladder or leverage his abilities towards personal success.
Instead, he would live to do the will of God and die for His glory. This was his calling from God. We, too, have a calling from God. While for some, that may include a successful career or an occupation that fulfills us creatively, that may not always be the case. Sometimes God asks us to do difficult things. Sometimes He calls us to do mundane tasks that we would rather not do. Will we be obedient to Him, regardless of the work He calls us to do?
Here are some of the things we know about the calling of God:
We each have good works that we are foreordained to do. If it seems strange that
John the Baptist’s role was determined even before he was born; here’s something stranger – the same is true for all believers!
Paul writes, “For we are all God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10).
Our calling from God isn’t a vague, indiscernible concept or idea. There are specific works that God has planned for us to do. If we reject our calling, we are rejecting our opportunity to glorify Him as His “handiwork” – His special creation to do these very things.
All work is noble in the eyes of God. Even in the church, we tend to think of some jobs as being more important than others. Those who preach the Word or lead music or serve as deacons or elders are usually held in high regard. At the same time, church nursery workers, custodians, etc., may never receive any recognition at all.
But Paul makes it clear that all gifts in the body of Christ are important. Members work with other members to bring glory to Christ, not to themselves.
“For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ, we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” (Romans 12:4-5).
Each member is important. Each gift is important. What matters the most is that “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” (Colossians 3:23).
Attitude is all-important. John the Baptist demonstrated the right attitude for all followers of Christ. While his ministry was met with huge popularity early on, his followers began to fade when Christ arrived to begin his work. This distressed John’s disciples, who came to him with news that all men were coming to Jesus – not John.
John replied with this humble statement: He must become greater; I must become less. (John 3:30). We are called to have the same kind of heart attitude in our work. Whether the world considers us a success or a failure is unimportant. Whatever our calling, job number one is to magnify Christ – to make much of Jesus and little of ourselves.
Paul emphasizes this kind of attitude in our work relationships; writing to slaves (the lowest job in the workforce!), he commands: “Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart.” (Ephesians 6:5-6).
Note that Paul states that we should be obedient for the sake of Christ – as servants of Christ. It has nothing to do with the task we are called to do or the kind of boss we are serving. We do what we would do to glorify Jesus.
Peter underscores this, reminding us to be subject to our masters (bosses) with all fear – “not only to those who are good and considerate but also to those who are harsh.” (1Peter 2:18). It may not be your dream job; your boss may not be a pleasant person for which to work. But you can still do your work as unto the Lord when it’s the job God has called you to do.
The high calling of Jesus: John the Baptist’s work was a difficult calling, but it was a glorious one! Jesus himself said, “Among those born of women there has not risen a greater one than John the Baptist, yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” (Matthew 11:11).
Surely, as believers, we can qualify as the least of heaven”! We, too, have a high calling in Jesus, and we need to strive to be faithful to our own calling as John was faithful to his. In the process, we will find it truly is our dream job – an opportunity to serve the living God and reap rewards for all eternity!
What job could be better than that?