Called into life

Over the last few weeks we have seen the effect of God's call on our lives as we are called into ministry but what if God calls us to live our lives just as they are without a specific ministry. This is in a way our first call before we are called into a life of ministry we are called into new life or rather to live lives that are in accord with God and God's purposes for us. If this is the case what model do we follow or what rule can we aspire to so that we can commit our energy to fulfilling God's promise to ourselves?

The prophet Micah gives us the first clue (6.8) by telling the people that the Lord requires us to act justly, love loyalty and act humbly. If we actually think about these words there is something about them that draw our hearts and minds. Who can truly say that to act justly is not something that we should not do? It is a tenet, almost, of our society. Give the man / woman a fair go. Justice and acting justly allows for our behaviour to be such that those who are honest are given a fair go. The issue here is whose justice do we mean. Is it the justice of power politics or is it the common justice that allows for a community to live in peace? More often then not in our modern day justice is something that is manufactured to ally the suspicions of the majority and bolster the plans of the powerful. In the same vein loyalty is often not rewarded or at least its reward is compromised by someone else's need to attain power or authority over another. Micah asks that we walk humbly, not a favoured position in today's world of large personalities and those who wish to be noticed. To walk humbly suggests that the acts of justice and loyalty are rewarded not for power or for prestige but for the good of the community without need for reward.

Christ gives a more expanded version when he speaks to the crowd of disciples (Matt 5-7). The essence is perhaps captured in the first part of chapter 5 (1-10) commonly known as the beatitudes. Luke's version (Lk. 6.20-26) gives negative versions along with the positive perhaps to really drum in the consequences that are there if we do not live as God wishes us to. Yet, the prevailing attitude in today's world tends to be opposite to the requirement that are placed on us in the beatitudes. We can almost always find examples of the opposites that are given by Luke but rarely do we praise or even see on display those that are required of us. There are exceptions, and perhaps the reality is that newspapers thrive on the negative and the news cycle wants negativity to empower it. How much better would we be in our communities if we were to find reporting of the positive view formed around the beatitudes?

Peacemakers are often humble of heart

So when we confront the reality of our lives within that of our faith journey what do we perpetuate? Do we actually live out the attitude that Christ and Micah emphasise as God's will or do we instead revel in those who display the negativity of the opposite? Perhaps, instead of seeing God's wishes we revel and delight in the lives of those who do the opposite. Simply because that is what is reported to us in the tabloids and in the 24 hour news cycle. Would it make a difference in our lives if politicians actually told the truth and worked by the truth of the beatitudes working not as antagonists but as peacemakers, not as people who try to escape justtice through injustice but rather search for the truth and proclaim it. I do not think that these are unattainable virtues as some would have us believe but rather they are attitudes and life choices that we can all make to ensure a better world.