I stole from Brian this morning.
I spoke to Canadian artists on behalf of Compassion International at this country’s version of Gospel Music Week. It’s pretty much the same as ours but with fewer people and a lot less metrosexuality and self-promotion. It’s not so much an industry/media event as it seems to be a support group for like-minded musicians.
Brian taught me about Galatians 2:9-10 once, and it was so good for me that I repeated it to the artists here – with my own stories added in, and a splash of sarcasm here and there too, of course. Or a bucket. Who’s measuring?
9James, Peter and John, those reputed to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the Jews.
James, Peter and John were the leaders of the church in Jerusalem. That was their “calling” – to use Christian-speak. They were placed there by God, made to minister to that group of people and their needs. That’s who they were.
That’s not who Paul and Barnabus were. They were “called” to the non-Jews, the Gentiles. They were sent by God away from Jerusalem, to minister to another group of people and to another set of needs. It’s who they were.
Christians with different “callings.”
10All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.
In addition to Paul’s calling (different from that of other Christians) he was also given a command (shared by all Christians).
When Peter, James and John gave Paul and Barnabus their blessing, agreeing that they were called to the Gentiles, they sent them out with one bit of final instruction. The final instruction was “remember the poor.”
The poor in this passage are Christians in Jerusalem. We know this because Paul, years later, when he’s started Gentile churches in places like Corinth, writes to those churches asking them to give money to the Jerusalem Christians.
13Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. 14At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality, 15as it is written: “He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little did not have too little.” 2 Corinthians 8:13-15
Craig Blomberg, in his book Neither Poverty Nor Riches, writes that 80% of Christians in Jerusalem in the days of Galatians 2 were living in abject poverty, which he defines as lacking enough food to eat daily.
At other times in the bible the word “poor” has a more spiritual meaning. Sometimes it’s both spiritual and physical. The material and spiritual worlds are so connected in Jewish thought that the same word for “poor” is used to describe both physical and spiritual helplessness and need.
Paul was unlike Peter, James and John in his calling. But the command given to them all was the same. Alleviate poverty. In Jerusalem, poverty was hunger caused by persecution. In Corinth and Rome it was “poverty in spirit” caused by sin without a Savior. But it’s the same command give to those called to every locale: Be who you are. Do what you were created to do. And remember the poor while you’re at it.
What’s your calling? How can you remember the poor while you’re being and doing that where you are?
Brian’s pretty smart huh?
Kristie says:
Lots of free babysitting for people who can’t afford it.
Selling home made Rice Krispies treats with my kids to earn money to support Chinese orphans as we cover China in our homeschool curriculum.
Bringing Shaun Groves to town. 🙂
Chris Sullivan says:
Shaun, at what point do we become the Church? Not the jews and gentiles but one body? Is it okay for every race, socioeconomic class, etc. to have to have their own church or ministry? Been struggling lately with whether we can really be Christians without breaking down these barriers between us and our brothers and sisters.
Chris Sullivan says:
And just so you know, the subscribe to comments button doesn’t seem to be working
Stretch Mark Mama says:
One of the best things hubs and I did two years ago was move out of white middle-class suburbia and move into the “poor” part of the city. (A city which also happened to be 2400 miles away from ‘home.’) We are now surrounded by people of different races, backgrounds, levels of drug usage, and beliefs — but I’ve never felt more “rich” in my life as I do now. You know why? Because these people are no longer projects to me — they are my friends.
I got to tell my story at church this past Sunday (well, 20 minutes of it) and thanks to my friend, it was recorded w/o me knowing it. 🙂 Anyway, I’m working on making the sound file available through the web–but, a) I haven’t geared myself up for the humiliation, and b) I haven’t the technical know-how. (But mostly “a.”)
Mark Geil says:
I’m sure this is a stirring story, Mama. (May I call you Mama?) I was speaking with Michael Gungor yesterday, and he described picking up and moving in response to a change in his theology and his wrestling with what it means to be the church. We talked about social justice and what he’s doing and I asked him if this has become a theme for his new CD (which is excellent, BTW).
His response was not what I expected, and it’s got me thinking. He said he has found that when the “people are no longer projects”, as you put so well, he is no longer compelled to write songs about them. Instead, the songs have become less about a personal rallying cry for social justice and action and more about the spiritual journey they entail.
Jason says:
To answer your Q, I honestly have no idea what is my calling. I just help the poor now whenever the opportunity arises like giving a gallon of milk to a mom in our complex who couldn’t afford it right now.
Beth says:
I’ll second the “bringing Shaun Groves to town” except that I can’t get him to come here again. I’ll keep trying though 😉
I also serve in our church, working with our children’s ministry and women’s ministry in different capacities. I volunteer two days a week at my daughters school too. I could do much more though.
Our calling doesn’t have to be earth-shattering or “entire-world” changing either though. Sometimes it’s just being available to listen, share scripture, or do the practical. Our family helped our pastor move into their new home last weekend. We’re loaning our truck to a family who needs to take the husband’s work trailer from one work site to the next this weekend. He doesn’t work if he can’t move it and his vehicle is currently broke down and no funds to repair it now.
I’m not bragging, just pointing out that we shouldn’t feel like we don’t have a “calling” if we’re not doing something “big”, or that we’re missing the boat somehow.
Jill Foley says:
My “calling” is the ministry of Compassion….sponsoring as many children as I can and advocating for them…finding as many new sponsors as I can. I’ve been doing this for 14 years and don’t plan to stop.