Let me help you see where I am coming from in my thoughts... Our primary calling as followers of Christ is by Him, to Him and for Him. We are first and foremost called to Someone, not something or somewhere. This truth gets so perverted in my warped mind. So often I find myself acting as if I am called to 'ministry' over and even above my calling to the Caller. A second thought is that our secondary calling, considering who God is as sovereign, is that everyone, everywhere and in everything should think, speak, live and act entirely for him. Therefore, in whatever it is and to wherever it is that we are called, we are called to be His and answer to Him in that.
Unfortunately, the church has distorted these two points and has created perversion in the realm of calling leaving countless people feeling prideful about their sacred jobs and even more feeling unworthy because of their sacred jobs. The first distortion arose within the Catholic church under Eusebius' influence when he categorized two stations in life: the 'perfect' reserved for priests, monks and nuns and the 'permitted' reserved for everyone else. This began a long history within the Catholic church where those of the 'perfect' way looked down on those who chose the lesser 'permitted' way. Thankfully, Martin Luther came along and helped pave the way for equality. He said that the work of a monk is no more holy than the work of a house wife and he stated that a man changing a diaper brought a smile to the face of the angels and God, thus bringing all 'jobs' under the Lordship of Christ and and bringing back into order the points of calling... we are called to Someone before we are called to something or somewhere.
Now don't get too happy Protestants because further on the Protestant church ran into its own distortion. While the Catholic church found itself elevating the sacred above the secular, the Protestant church found itself doing the opposite, elevating the secular above the sacred. How? 'Calling' began to be synonymous with 'vocation'. Thus there became no sense of 'calling' to a 'Caller' but to a job. Both distortions are far from Biblical.
Just think of a few examples: Paul was a tent-maker and continued a tent-maker after being 'called' to be an apostle. The disciples continued to fish after being 'called' to follow Jesus. Jesus Himself was raised a carpenter, and there is a strong argument that He faithfully followed God even as a carpenter.
Let me not ramble on... let me close with this...
Mothers, artists, musicians, writers, students, doctors, lawyers, teachers, plumbers, businessmen, engineers, computer people, full-time ministers... you are all called to our great and glorious 'Caller'. May you heed His call on your life and may all that you are, do, think and say be for the glory of the One who calls!
