I was watching a really old tv show last night about a crime solving Monk. Cadfael is the name of the series. I'm not recommending the show in its entirety as he's not always a saint but there is usually at least one godly lesson in each episode. In this particular program there was a woman who was weary with the world and decided to join a cloister of nuns to live in peace. Cadfael and a nun told the lady she should reconsider her plan because they had gone into a life of ministry because they were "running to something and not from something." They also told her that the life of service was a difficult one. Of course it made me reflect upon my own call and the price of the call we dealt with in part 1. As I was choosing to pursue the Lord and His Call upon my life I had to meet with a man that had helped me get a job with a promising future. As I told the man of my decision he became very angry. This man was a very wealthy family member. Previously he told me that "if anything happens to me you will be taken care of." As I finished my conversation and headed for the door he spoke and said in anger, "if the going gets tough, don't call on me!" I knew the legal will was about to be changed. It was! Yet, as I walked from the room I was filled with great peace and excitement as I was walking toward something. I was shedding the mindset of the material world and its goals and embracing to a Kingdom mindset and my only measurement of success would have to be pleasing God through obedience. I would be tested on this heart motivation many times in the decades to come as the Lord continued and continues still His molding of my life and character.
The walk of a servant of the Lord is primarily one of a relationship between the servant and his Master. It is a never ending walk of ministry in the servant and the resultant ministry through the servant. Our Lord never stops leading us to a higher place of holiness and obedience to Him and His purposes. It can be a lonely and even painful journey at times but always result in the joy of following Him to fruitfulness. This journey of personal construction and development needs to be permitted by others looking on. We need to be careful not to interfere with the process and try to alleviate the pain of the struggle. Nepotism is one of the ways we can do this. Like helping a chick from the egg we can hinder and possibly destroy the divine purpose of the struggle. Placing a family member into ministry into a higher rank than you would others is just such interference. While they may be truly called, they need to go through the process of maturity so that character can be developed to balance the gifting. Too many times I have heard people say, "but they are so gifted or they are such a good speaker." Those things are not found in the Bible as reasons for promotion in life and especially in Christian ministry. The Call is the first step of preparation for faithful service but allowing and submitting to the process is a work of the Holy Spirit. Nothing is more important to the life of the Called than this.
