You hear people talk about their calling, and it sounds oh-so noble. But a calling, inevitably, has a cost. It involves laying down your own desires in the service of others. And that is noble indeed.
Some like to flaunt their works for all to see. Sir Nicholas Winton was not one of those. In 1938, he cancelled a ski holiday to help a friend working with refugees in Czechoslovakia. Seeing the Nazi threat, he organised the rescue of 669 Jewish children by arranging trains, securing visas, and finding foster homes in Britain.
He kept quiet about it for 50 years, never seeking recognition. Living entirely for himself would have been much safer and easier, but Winton chose the harder road of service, valuing others above himself.
Philippians 2:3-4 In whatever you do, don’t let selfishness or pride be your guide. Be humble, and honour others more than yourselves. Don’t be interested only in your own life, but care about the lives of others too.
I think you’d agree that the sort of life Paul’s talking about in that passage is the very definition of a noble calling. We don’t have to achieve some great thing to attain that nobility. It’s the little things we do along the way that impact people’s lives.
In a world where self-interest is the norm, it’s never been more true that living for yourself alone is the lowest form of life. The richest life isn’t measured by what you keep, but by how much of yourself you give away.
Don’t be interested only in your own life, but care about the lives of others too.
That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.
