Yours and My Calling in Life...

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Matthew 5:14-16

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."

This was the first cartoon I started to draw. I have the basic ideas worked out. But, as I was reading and drawing this out, two things really struck me.

The first was that if you light a candle, and place a bowl over the top, the flame dies because it has no oxygen. If we do not allow our light to shine, our flame and passion for God will die out. Keep the fire burning--let that light shine for all to see.

The other was a tie to a comment made by Brian Kono--my Introduction to Youth Ministry professor. He said that even more that if we are called to youth ministry, that is more than a call to be a youth pastor, it is a call to be a leader...our call is to be made an example of. Whether we are a city on a hill or a lamp in the middle of a room, we are to be there for all to see... our light is to be shining before all men so that they may see our good deeds--for as Kono pointed out from Scripture, leaders are to be above reproach--that they may give glory to God.

My call to work with youth, is the same as any other Christian. We are to be leaders, to stand out from the crowd, from the world, to imitate Christ and be above reproach in all that we do, whether it be school, work, homework, schedules, balanced lifestyles, the things we say, the jokes we crack, the promises we make and choose to keep, the thoughts we think...the list goes on. We are to stand before those we are ministering to, working with, and those who are in our lives in some form or another, and be able to say that we are living out lives passionately for God...so that they can see His glorious light shining through us.

The exciting, or scary, part of all of this, is that in order for me to begin to fulfill my calling--and you yours--is that I don't have to complete my four years of college to begin. I start right here, right now, by being the leader, the example, the light, that I am called to be, right here, right now. If I choose not to begin now, I will be placing my light under a bowl, and the flame will die down and go out. But by keeping it in the middle of the room, it will continually be fueled and, thanks to God, become hotter and more passionate.

May your light continue to shine, and the Lord keep your passion for Him burning as you serve Him now.