Called to Serve
Throughout the Old Testament, God called on human leaders to partner with Him on various occasions. Interestingly, many of those who were called initially demurred for a host of reasons. Moses did not consider himself qualified, Gideon believed he was too weak, Jeremiah considered himself too young and, though he eagerly volunteered for service, Isaiah considered himself “a man of unclean lips.” God, however, would not accept their excuses and, though not always stated as plainly as it was with Moses, the Lord promised, “I will be with you” (Exodus 3:12a). Still, the question remains: Why would God choose people given to self-deprecation to lead in times of crisis?
Humans gravitate toward those who exude authority and power; elections are typically not won by the humble nor are armies led by the meek. Those “who can get the job done” and those who let everyone know who is in charge are typically looked to for leadership from childhood on up. However, God does not think like humanity; often those who attract followers are the very ones who lead followers off the proverbial cliff. God chooses leaders who look to Him. Consider Moses as an example of this; while he initially offered four excuses and one rejection of the invitation to lead, later in his life the Scriptures record, “Now the man Moses was very meek, more than all people who were on the face of the earth” (Numbers 12:3). Such humility brought him to be one of the world’s greatest leaders because he recognized who was truly in charge. Important lessons can be learned from leaders who began their mission with humility and remained humble throughout their walk with God.
God does not call leaders as in ancient times. There are no longer burning bushes, speeches by the Angel of the Lord, or visions of the heavenly temple. Those in the modern era who profess that they “were called by the Lord” to various ministries do well to study what these true callings looked like. There was no subtlety about them and no vague appeals to the emotion. God never left it to guesswork. Still, there is much said in the New Testament about being called. Consider what Paul wrote to the Romans: “To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints” (Romans 1:7); or to the Corinthians: “God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” (I Corinthians 1:9); or to Timothy: “Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses” (I Timothy 6:12). Numerous other examples could be cited; however, these illustrate the call of the New Testament is to give one’s life to Jesus. This call is given to all humanity and answered by those willing to submit to Him.
As in days of old, it is only the humble who will answer the call of Jesus. To this end, He stated, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 5:3). Those who have realized their own weakness and failure are prepared to accept the gracious invitation of their Lord. It is only then that God will have someone with whom He can work.
When a humble soul surrenders to the Savior in baptism and is raised to walk in the newness of life, His call has been answered. The door is then opened to become a faithful servant and to direct one’s abilities to work in His kingdom. For those who are serious students of His word and can publicly communicate, preaching and teaching the Gospel is worthy work. For those who can empathize and sympathize with fellow pilgrims struggling with their faith, there is work to be done in building up. For those who can shepherd a flock of the Lord’s people or serve as servant deacons, the need is great. Visiting the sick, feeding the hungry, remembering those who are in prison, and sharing the gospel message are simply a few of the opportunities given to serve for those who are called. It does not take a small voice in the night to begin the journey of service; it requires a spirit of zeal and a serious reflection on the numerous passages within His word admonishing the faithful to be servants as their King served.
A zealous start in faithful service must be followed by dogged persistence. There are many things that can end good works, so the faithful are wary of these pitfalls. As Jesus explained the parable of the soils, He described the thorny ground danger: “As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful” (Matthew 13:22). Besides these pitfalls, apathy, laziness, and lack of appreciation shown by others can become the enemy. May each heed the admonition of the apostle Paul: “Therefore my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain” (I Corinthians 15:58).
In 1923, J.R. Baxter penned the words to an admonitory hymn entitled, “There is Room in the Kingdom.” In it, he stated, “Do not wait to be told, nor by sorrow driven to the work God has planned for you.” Salvation is the call to service! May each child of the King humbly work for no other reason than for His glory and may each work in light of that welcome home message, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
