A Higher Purpose

But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.

– Exodus 9:16

Duct tape is the remarkable product that can mend just about anything. From a broken automobile fan belt to a cracked windshield to split vinyl siding, it can do it all. Duct tape is also great for removing lint from clothing. And if you believe a few urban legends, it saved the day by stabilizing a skier’s damaged knee, and it even rescued the Apollo 13 astronauts from certain death. But duct tape can fail when used for its original intended purpose: wrapping heating and air-conditioning ductwork! 

People, like duct tape, are also designed with an intended purpose or calling. And when it comes to Christ-followers like you and me, the Bible reveals that God has given us certain gifts, talents, and resources for advancing his kingdom on Earth. For example, singers and musicians might use their gifts to lead Sunday morning worship. And accountants, bookkeepers, and office managers can focus their talents on helping the church operate efficiently. Likewise, those same gifts and talents have applications in the secular world, which can also help identify their owner’s purpose or calling.

Have you found yours?

If not, your search should begin with regular prayer, Bible study, and discernment — the ongoing functions of living, thinking, and acting to distinguish between right and wrong, and the essential from the secondary. Meanwhile, your daily circumstances, trials, and crises also blend into the mix. But it’s your service that often reveals the answer. That’s because we’re all called to be Jesus’ hands and feet on earth. So, it’s no coincidence that Christ-followers who complete a mission trip or other acts of service say that they gained far more from the experience than those they sought to help. 

“In the same way, the Son of Man did not come to be served,” Jesus explains. “He came to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many people."

As Christ-followers, let’s turn our faith into action — and see what God reveals about our purpose — by accepting his invitation to help brighten a dark world that’s in dire need of guidance, truth, and love.

Maybe that’s the only other thing that duct tape can’t do. 

The Wall

You are to be holy to me because I, the Lord, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own.

– Leviticus 20:26

Long-distance runners call it The Wall. It’s that barrier of mental and physical fatigue that successful athletes train for years to overcome. If successful, they’ll reach the finish line with power left to spare. But those who are unprepared will drop out of the race in exhaustion and defeat.

As Christ-followers, we face our own wall each day as we try to live up to the calling for holiness — or being set apart from the ways of the world — and instead living by our Creator’s high standards. But too often we tire as we fight our natural tendencies to do what’s wrong (“sin”). Instead of following Jesus’ example of loving our neighbors, helping the disadvantaged, and honoring God, we’re tempted to go back to our old me-first lifestyle. It’s the selfish stuff we know we shouldn’t do versus the ultimately world-changing things we can and should do. And as with any battle, fatigue tends to set in … and we hit the wall.

But giving up is not a viable option. We read in the Gospel of John that Jesus’ disheartening standards of perfection caused many of his followers to turn their backs and head home. Christ then asked his 12 disciples if they also planned to leave him. To this, Simon Peter replied: 

"Lord, there is no one else that we can go to! Your words give eternal life.”

What can we do when we hit our own spiritual wall? First, we should lighten our load by shedding the excess possessions and unnecessary distractions that hold us back. For example, do any of us really need the burden of more credit card debt when we probably have more than we need of just about everything? And like successful marathoners, we must always keep our eyes on the finish line. Yes, steep hills and rough road lie ahead of us. But every step we take gets us closer to victory!

Finally — and most importantly — we must always pray for strength. And we get this much-needed vitality through the Holy Spirit: the personal Power that all Christ-followers receive when they ask Jesus to be their Lord and Savior. The Holy Spirit is literally God residing in every Believer. It’s that Force that enables us to do or say the things we never could before, overcome seemingly insurmountable odds, and generally do the impossible. James, the stepbrother of Jesus, gives us these words of encouragement:

“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”

In this long-distance race called life, do you have the Power you need to overcome the wall? Just ask for it in faith, and you’re sure to cross the finish line in victory.

Jury Duty

Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression, bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.

– Isaiah 1:17

The United States Constitution guarantees that all people — regardless of race, religion, sex, national origin, or economic status — have the right to trial by an impartial jury. Juries decide the fates of criminal defendants and the outcomes of civil cases, so it’s important that every citizen respond and fully participate in jury duty if asked. But jury duty is more than an obligation … it’s also the right thing to do. Of course, doing the right thing can be difficult when it’s costly, unpopular, uncomfortable, or inconvenient. And depending on the case, that’s exactly what jury duty can be.

A few years ago, a judge in western Pennsylvania decided to spend the day at the county courthouse. While that sounds like it should have been business as usual, Judge Linda Fleming happened to join 119 of her fellow citizens who’d also reported for jury duty. In the end, she wasn't seated as a juror because an attorney objected to her presence in that capacity. Nevertheless, Judge Fleming was determined to do her civic duty and serve — or at least make herself available — rather than use her position as an excuse to avoid it.

Doing the right thing is also a biblical principle. As we read in James 4:17:

 "So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin."

There are times when doing the right thing takes courage. While we may never encounter foreign troops on a battlefield, we could face other opponents — like injustice, crime, or discrimination — that we’d have no hope of defeating ourselves. The good news for Christ-followers is that we're not alone against our enemies. In fact, we should be encouraged by the countless number of people like you and me that God has empowered to do the extraordinary against overwhelming odds.

A familiar example from the Bible involves David — then an obscure shepherd-boy — who considered it his duty to defend his nation by killing the giant Goliath with a single stone from his slingshot. It was this same shepherd-boy who eventually became King of Israel and the one God called "a man after My own heart." 

As Christ-followers, we can take heart. It might be a scary world out there, but God doesn't expect us to solve all the world's problems. Instead, it's by seeking and using his power in faith that we can make a world of difference. And it all starts when we do the right thing by responding to our call of duty.