Content In Your Calling

“My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. Do you not say, ‘Four months more and then the harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labour.”

 John 4:34-38, NIV.

Do you know that you have been placed on this earth with a specific calling from God? Do you know what that calling is?  Jesus addresses how we should walk in our calling in the above passage.

This brief teaching moment came just after Jesus had ministered to the woman at the well in verses 7 through 26.  Jesus had come to the well tired and thirsty (v.6), and from all we know He never did get the drink that He had requested.  However, when Jesus had finished speaking to the woman and the disciples had returned, we see a new energy in Jesus.  The disciples urged Him to eat, and He stated, “I have food to eat that you know nothing about.” 

What was Jesus referring to?  Where did He get this sudden burst of energy? We find the answer in verses 34 through 38.  Jesus said, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to finish his work.”  Jesus was saying that as long as he did what he was called to do then the Lord would always take of him and provide for everything he needed.  He even found that he was not as tired and thirsty as he had been previously.

The next few verses begin to describe people who have taken their focus off of their calling.  “Do you not say, ‘Four months more and then the harvest’?”  In this statement Jesus was referring to those who continually make excuses as to why that are not doing God’s will.  People say things like, “Well, they probably won’t go all the way and pray the prayer, so I just won’t say anything.”  Or  “I just don’t know that I would have the right words to say, so I will let someone else come along and talk to them.”  Or insert all of the other excuses in the book as to why people don’t obey God’s call.

Friends, the truth is you were all placed on this earth with a specific calling, and no one can fulfill the calling like you can.  God gave you your gifts and abilities for a specific reason, and he will bless you when you step out and do his will.

Jesus said that there will be some who sow and others will reap.  Many don’t step out in their calling because they might not see the results that someone else is seeing.  When in reality, Jesus said that some have only been called to plant the seed and may never witness the harvest.  Friends, it is not your job to compare your success (or lack thereof)  with the success of others.  You cannot allow yourselves to quit when you can’t even get one person to pray a prayer while your neighbor seems to be reaping a great harvest.

If you have been called to sow and plant, then plant seeds every chance you get.  If you have been called to water the seed through kind words, acts of obedience, and encouragement then water every seed you can find.  Jesus never expected everyone to do the same thing and to reap the same harvest.  We can’t all be arms or legs or heads.  But we all have a part to play in the body of Christ.

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”

Galatians 6:9, 10, NIV.

This verse from Galatians encourages us to continue doing God’s work and to never give up.  I can promise you one thing.  If you don’t do God’s work, you won’t see results. If you give up prematurely, you won’t reap the benefits.  But God has promised that if we are faithful to do the things to which he has called us, we will reap a harvest.  But it might just be that someone else is the reaper.  Everyone’s harvest looks different, and it is not our job to compare our harvest with another.  It is only our duty live out God’s calling on our life with fervency and urgency, and God will provide and bless.

When the woman at the well left and went back into the town, she began telling everyone about her experience with the Christ.  Some believed, but still some needed more proof.  But as the doubters came and personally heard the words of Christ they, too, believed.  The woman went home with a new-found calling, but her calling was not to convert everyone.  It was simply to testify and lead them to Christ. 

John the Baptist had a great ministry, but even he admitted that he was simply a forerunner for the Messiah.  He was content to be a water-baptizer.  He was not trying to be the Christ, nor was he trying to reinvent the baptism wheel.  He knew from the beginning that Jesus was going to come and do much greater things than he and even baptize in a new way.

Friends, let me encourage you to find out what God’s calling is for your life, and then do it.  Don’t try to imitate someone else.  Don’t seek to be someone you are not called to be.  Do what God has called you to do and be nourished and content as you fulfill his purpose.

True Humility

            I’ve been reading through the book of John quite slowly.  I don’t want to miss anything that the Lord might want to show me.  As I came to the second half of John chapter 3, I began to notice some interesting qualities about John the Baptist.  If anyone in scripture was truly humble it was John the Baptist.  He had a mission and a calling from God, but he never considered himself to be anything great.  As a matter of fact, he was continually asked if he was the Messiah or a great prophet, and his response was always, “I am not.”  In this article I want to look at three qualities that I noticed in the life of John the Baptist that every one should exhibit if they want to be a humble person.

The first trait I want to look at is John’s attitude.  John knew who he was.  He knew his calling, and he was content in his calling and did not try to become someone or something greater. The humble person accepts his position and does not try to become someone or something greater on his own.

In verse 26 of John 3, John’s disciples came to him worried.  They said, “Rabbi, the man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan – the one you testified about – well, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.” (NIV).  Basically they were saying, “John, you are the one called to baptize.  This Jesus has started baptizing, and we are losing our flock.”

But this was John’s reply, “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven.”  In other words John was content in his mission.  He knew from the beginning that his mission was to prepare the way for someone greater to come.  If he had tried to push himself into a greater position, God would have removed him from that position. 

I know of a youth pastor who became so successful in his ministry that he eventually ran more students in the youth service than the church did on Sundays.  The pastor of that church became extremely jealous and made life very difficult for that youth pastor until he eventually left, and the church never fully recovered.  The pastor was jealous because his ministry was not the greatest ministry in the church.  He took on a prideful attitude instead of a humble one.  A humble person is always content to do only what he has been called to do.

            The next thing about John that showed his humility was that he rejoiced in the success of Jesus.  In verses 29-30 he said, “The bride belongs to the bridegroom.  The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice.  That joy is mine, and it is now complete.”

            The bride belongs to the bridegroom.  John knew that Jesus – not he – was sent to save the world.  He knew that even those that he had baptized did not belong to him, but they belonged to Jesus.  John compared Jesus to the bridegroom, and he compared himself to the attendant.  His mission was to come prepare the way for Jesus and to serve him in any way possible.  Now that Jesus was on the scene John showed his true character by saying, “My joy is now complete.”

            John rejoiced in the success of Jesus.   He did not become jealous when Jesus “stole his flock”.  He did not try to ruin Jesus’ ministry by talking behind his back.  He lifted up the name of Jesus and declared, “My joy is now complete.”  Back to the story of pastor versus youth pastor.  The pastor could have rejoiced with the youth pastor.  He could have rejoiced in his success, and he could have rejoiced in the fact that so many young lives were being changed.  But instead he took the jealous route and tried to ruin the ministry of the youth pastor.  The humble person always rejoices in the success of others – even those under his care.

            The final point I want to look at is the fact that John always pointed to Jesus.  Now that Jesus was on the scene, John’s mission became less about baptism and more about leading people to Jesus.  John himself said, “I am not the Christ, but the one coming after me is.”    In John 1:29, Jesus came to be baptized by John.  John knew who he was because the Spirit had opened his eyes.  He could have allowed pride to grow up in his heart because he was getting ready to baptize the Messiah.  Instead he said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.”  The first thing John did when he recognized Jesus was to turn the people’s attention away from him and onto Jesus.

            The humble person is always content to fade into the background so that Jesus can be fully seen and recognized.  Too many ministers today have tried to gain fame and popularity for themselves instead of pointing to Jesus.  While people have been saved under their ministry, I believe that there is some very harsh judgment coming to those ministers.  God only exalts those that will point to him, and when they begin pointing to themselves, they will fall.

            John the Baptist said it best in verse 30 of chapter 3 when he said, “He must become greater, and I must become less.”  The humble person is sincerely content with staying out of the spotlight.  The humble person is not concerned with being seen or heard, but they are always deflecting the glory to Jesus.

            Those that strive to be truly humble need to remember the life of John the Baptist.  A humble person is always content to do only what he has been called to do and not force his way up the ladder.   A humble person always rejoices in the success of others – even those under his care.  And finally, the humble person always points to Jesus and is not concerned with being seen or heard.

From Darkness Into the Light

“Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.” In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.””

John 3:1-3, NIV.

Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a member of the Jewish ruling council.  Most of these men opposed the ministry of Jesus, and it was ultimately these men that had Jesus crucified.  But Nicodemus was different.  While he was still not “saved”, the teachings of Jesus had definitely caught his attention, and he was searching for truth.  Let’s look specifically at verse 2.

He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.

This passage states that Nicodemus came to Jesus at night.   I believe this is literal, and he really did come at night.  However, coming from John, I believe that this statement also had a deeper spiritual significance.

The greek word used for “night” literally means night.  Figuratively, however, it can mean: the time when work ceases, the time of death, the time for deeds of sin and shame, the time of moral stupidity and darkness, the time when the weary and also the drunken give themselves up to slumber.

Let’s look at Nicodemus’s statement again.  He said, “we know…[you have] come from God.”  Nicodemus had head knowledge of the truth, but he had not yet made it a part of his life.  He knew the right things to say, even the right things to preach, but he was not living by his teaching.  (Remember when Jesus called the Pharisees hypocrites and white-washed tombs?)  Nicodemus was well educated in the scriptures and in the ways of God, but he was still in darkness.  He had never been exposed to the light and truth of Jesus.  He was a spiritual leader, but he was still living under the shadow of the Old Covenant. 

Jesus knew this, because the remainder of their conversation centered on one thing:  the truth and light that Jesus came into this world to bring.  This was Jesus’ first reply,  “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”  Jesus did not even wait for Nicodemus to ask his question.  He went right in for kill and began speaking truth.  That truth was that he needed light, and Jesus began showing him how to move from the darkness and into the light.

“This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.””

 John 3:19-21, NIV.

Take a moment and examine your life.  Do you find yourself in darkness?  Do you know the truth but have yet to give yourself fully to the light of God?  Why?  Are you afraid of being exposed?  Are you too proud and would rather stay in the darkness because you are comfortable there?

The will of God is that no one would be in darkness:

I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.

John 12:46, NIV

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

1 Peter 2:9, NIV

Darkness is a terrible place to be for several reasons:

1.  Darkness blinds.

“The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 4:4-6, NIV.

Notice the relationship between blindness and unbelieving.  Jesus was saying that the unbelieving mind is blind.  Unbelief and faithlessness leaves us in darkness.  Jesus used this same relation in John 3:

“Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.”

John 3:18, 19, NIV.

“Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going. Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light.” When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them. Even after Jesus had done all these miraculous signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him. This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet: “Lord, who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” For this reason they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere: “He has blinded their eyes and deadened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn--and I would heal them.” Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus’ glory and spoke about him.”

 John 12:35-41, NIV.

As long as the sinner remains in unbelief and darkness, he will never be able to see the light of Jesus’ face.  He has been blinded to the truth. 

2.  Darkness hides.

We’ve all played hide and seek.  When I was a kid and it was my turn to hide, I would pick the darkest place I could find and sit perfectly still.  I even remember playing hide and seek with my oldest son.  I knew that if I picked the darkest spot, I would win because he would be too scared to look for me.

We hide in the dark because we can’t be seen.  We hide in the dark so that we won’t be exposed.  However, w were never meant to hide from anything or anyone, but with the introduction of sin came the need to hide (Genesis 3:8).  Look at what scripture says about those who try to hide in the darkness.

“His eyes are on the ways of men; he sees their every step. There is no dark place, no deep shadow, where evildoers can hide.” Job 34:21, 22, NIV.

The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men. Therefore once more I will astound these people with wonder upon wonder; the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish.” Woe to those who go to great depths to hide their plans from the LORD, who do their work in darkness and think, “Who sees us? Who will know?”

 Isaiah 29:13-15, NIV.

Notice here that the Lord is comparing those who hide with those who give God false worship.  We cannot truly honor and worship the Lord when we have things that we are trying to hide.  But the saddest part of all is the fact that we never are really hiding.  The Lord sees and knows it all.

3. Darkness immobilizes.

Maybe it is the light color of my eyes, or maybe it’s just the fact that I am getting older, but I do not see well in the dark.  On second thought, let me rephrase that.  I can’t see at all in the dark.  When darkness surrounds me it leaves me completely unable to move. 

One bright, summer day my wife called me at my office and said that she was taking the kids to a movie if I would like to join them.  I quickly packed up my things and headed over to the theater.  As I walked in to the theater, the movie had already started.  It was dark, and I couldn’t move.  I couldn’t see a thing.  You would think that immediately, my wife or one of the kids would come and get me, but instead they just sat and laughed at me for a couple of minutes.

My point here is that once the darkness engulfed me, I was useless.  I couldn’t take another step because I didn’t know what was in front of me.  I couldn’t see if there were any empty chairs, and I couldn’t see where my family was sitting.  I could only stand until someone came to help me.

When we live in darkness we are 100% useless.  God can’t use us and people can’t depend on us.  We are of no use to God and His kingdom.

“Then the LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand towards the sky so that darkness will spread over Egypt--darkness that can be felt.” So Moses stretched out his hand towards the sky, and total darkness covered all Egypt for three days. No one could see anyone else or leave his place for three days. Yet all the Israelites had light in the places where they lived.”

Exodus 10:21-23, NIV.

“Some sat in darkness and the deepest gloom, prisoners suffering in iron chains,” Psalms 107:10, NIV.

As long as we remain in darkness, we are bound.  Chains are wrapped around our hands and a noose is around our necks.  There is nowhere we can go, and nothing we can do.  All we can do is sit.  The only way of escape is to move toward the light.

Friends, there is freedom in the light.  There is no fear in light, because there is no darkness in light.  There is no blindness in light, and we can continue to move forward in the light.  Come out of the darkness and into the light.  Come out of your sinful ways and expose yourself to the truth and light of Jesus Christ.  Come out of your hiding and experience the joy and freedom of walking in the light.