Most of the time, when Scripture speaks of one’s “calling,” it is not referring to vocation. Our primary calling is our Christian Calling. God calls us to Himself. Yet, it would be shortsighted to say that Scripture is silent on the matter.
I love what Moses writes in Exodus 35:30-35. It states:
“Then Moses said to the people of Israel, ‘See, the Lord has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold and silver and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, for work in every skilled craft. And he has inspired him to teach, both him and Oholiab the son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan. He has filled them with skill to do every sort of work done by an engraver or by a designer or by an embroiderer in blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, or by a weaver—by any sort of workman or skilled designer.”
Though these men were called and equipped to do work specifically related to the construction of the tabernacle, one does not have to engage in “religious endeavors” in order to do work that matters to God. In fact, whatever we do, we are to do to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). I’ve literally seen this exemplified in the work of great leaders, fast food servers, and sanitation workers. Yes, what we do matters, but the manner and attitude with which we do it matters more.
That said, I believe we owe it to ourselves and those around us to, if possible, pursue work that capitalizes on the strengths and talents the Lord has given us. Everyone wins when we strive to serve others out of the best we have to offer.
Several years ago I stumbled upon a segment from an old Oprah Winfrey Show episode where she interviewed a young artist. I believe this little girl was around nine or ten years old at the time. Anyone who views her work would agree that she, like the men described in Exodus 35, is gifted by God. Being the curious person I am, I wanted to learn what became of this girl and her art. Granted, she could have decided to do anything with her life. For all I knew, she could have chosen to go to medical school, become a social worker, or perhaps become CEO of a major corporation – and any of those would have been just fine. But I was so glad to learn that she continued to use her artistic talents in a meaningful way. When I look at her art, I am reminded of the goodness and glory of God. I think that’s a good thing.
How about you? What do you do that people often tell you you are really good at? What gifts has the Lord given you that bring joy to those around you? What problems do you feel uniquely qualified to help solve? What have you found yourself enjoying and excelling at over the years? Most people will never come anywhere near fulfilling their potential – but that doesn’t have to be you. We may not be able to do everything we’ve ever dreamed of, but there’s no harm in trying.
Do you feel that there is something you’ve always wanted to pursue, but haven’t been able to make happen? If so, I can help you with that. But first, for a little inspiration, check out the link below for a clip of the artist’s interview I mentioned earlier. Then reach out and let’s talk about how to get you from where you are to where you’ve always wanted to be. You can do this!
