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36 CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX “To will one thing”: Section 4

 Knowing your role—and God’s

Some people are constantly in fear they can break the world and others think it is up to them to save some part of it. While each may come from good places—humility and trying to serve—both involve the same arrogance: that we are in charge and responsible instead of God. Our first response should always be prayer, the seeking of guidance, and trusting God.

I once knew a little girl who had a younger sister. Her mother included her in helping take care of her sibling to the extent the older girl was interested, which was often and enthusiastic—she loved helping. At some point her mother shared that she was pregnant and the oldest would have another sibling, to which the little girl anxiously replied that she didn’t know if she could take care of another one. The mother, surprised, reassured her daughter that, while she really appreciated all the daughter did, it was the mother’s job to take care of the baby—and all of them—that her daughter could help when she had time and wanted to, as she was doing now, but shouldn’t feel the need to do more. The little girl was allowed to play a role but didn’t recognize that everything was orchestrated, and the success happened, because of her mother.

I always think of this story when I find myself feeling too responsible or too much in charge of things in life. And I can hear God saying that it’s his responsibility to take care of all of us but that I can contribute where I’m called and willing.

One of my brothers likes to invite weekend visitors to participate in house improvement projects he’s working on while they are there. For those who are willing, the projects provide unusually engaging activity, richer relationship, shared sense of accomplishment in the finished project, and great memories when the project is seen on return visits. God graciously allows us the joy of participation and accomplishment, with all of those same benefits and more. But we must avoid feeling like we have ultimate responsibility (we are a sous chef or even a commis chef, not the head chef)—and be sure not to take pride in it as a personal accomplishment, but to give the glory where it’s due.

Again, our goal and calling is to do the will of God

He asks us to be useful, not glimmering and eye catching.

He asks us to be salt, not gold, silver, or any “precious” thing.

He calls us to be light.

“From those to who much is given, much is expected” is a great burden when we realize we’ve been given many gifts. It’s like when a friend or someone gives you a gift that you feel like you just can’t accept it because it’s out of scale and somehow you feel like you should reciprocate or be able to respond in kind, but that seems impossible. The truth is, all we can do is use what we’re given to the greatest extent we are able with the opportunities we’re given. We can’t possibly hope to respond in kind or be able to reciprocate to the gifts God gives us. So we just need to make every effort to do what we can with the gifts given us and do it out of thankfulness and love and devotion. Throughout nature we see that no system uses potential perfectly efficiently—without loss of at least some of the potential—and we must accept that we are governed by the same realities.

Having a job is fine and generally necessary—Paul’s work as a tentmaker was not his focus but a means that allowed him to pursue his search for truth, first as a Pharisee and then as an evangelist.

It’s okay—perhaps even important—to spend your time in something other than ministry, even if at some point you’re going to be called fully to ministry. Jesus was a carpenter, which was a very common profession. There is no way for us to know how that helped inform his ministry, but we have to believe that profession was not a waste of time for him, even if he didn’t fully understand how at the time. Jacob’s son, Joseph, wouldn’t have chosen to be a slave or a prisoner, but his whole-hearted dedication to those roles afforded him opportunities to grow in ways that prepared him for what came next. So any work can be important and preparation for your next step and everything you do in any job can help you grow and learn and be consistent with direction you will ultimately be called.

And then, when you are called, you need to be willing to respond. And sometimes it’s even before your time/you feel ready, even for Jesus: At the wedding at Cana, Jesus seems to have changed his planned timeline at the request of his mother—though I believe that timing was always part of God’s plan. 


Sections in this chapter:

  • The heart of faith
  • The core message and goal for your life
  • Seeking to trust God and become more like Jesus
  • Knowing your role—and God’s
  • Fruit of the Spirit
  • Managing our priorities
  • And our praise
  • Identity, the creeds, and unity
  • The struggle of finding and holding faith
  • Ultimate truth
  • Faith must be our own
  • Levels and types of faith
  • Faith vs. knowledge
  • Faith and the Law and Works
  • Free Will and The Fall
  • Seeking to understand the Bible and life through discernment
  • The challenge of discernment
  • Handling different discernments
  • "Our own words"
  • Exploring challenging passages and ideas
  • The importance of prayer
  • Personal reflections
  • The importance of living the life
  • It’s not too late


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