Vocation before Occupation

In today's world of runaway consumerism and materialism, one's chosen vocation increasingly takes a back seat to one's occupation.  Why? Because possessions and status have become more important to us than calling and purpose.  We've been sold a bill-of-goods. We've been seduced.  And what we've given up is far more valuable than most people realize.

As followers of Jesus, we should consider our life-as-a-disciple to be our vocation.  By "vocation" here, I mean: "An urge or predisposition to take up a particular type of work, especially a religious career: calling." (secondary definition, Webster's II New College Dictionary).  Don't be frightened off by the use of the world "religious" -- it's not being used here as a colloquialism for "hypocrite", "bogus", or "man-made" -- but rather to point to a higher, spiritual reality.  Jesus has never stopped to urge us: "Come, follow me."  This is a calling that all are called to.  If discipleship had been intended for the elite, Jesus would never have commanded:

Matthew 28:19   
    Go, then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples: baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (TEV)

The New Testament clearly teaches the "ministry of all believers" (a conviction I will not spend the time defending here). We are ALL called to love our neighbors and our enemies; to feed the poor and clothe the naked; to make disciples and teach them the ways of Christ.

My point then is simply this: when that when this vocation gives way to, submits to, our occupation, the working of God's Spirit through us is virtually neutered, and we become "Christian" in name only.  And the prevalence of such "Christians"  -- both inside and outside of traditional congregations - seems alarmingly high.

Widespread consumerism and materialism, however, are not the only culprits.  There is another enemy which stands against our shared vocation as followers of Jesus:

Easy-believism.

Whether it's promoted by a seeker-sensitive megachurch or a hyper-inclusive emerging church -- the kinder and gentler version of Christianity that remains so popular today is at best, disingenuous; and at worst, damnable. We've re-negotiated the cost of discipleship and have lowered it with a straight face, convincing ourselves that we've been "missional."  Lord, forgive us!

I've always been fascinated by the rich young ruler text found within the synoptic gospels:

Mark 10:17-30 (NIV) 
    As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
    "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good--except God alone. You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.'"
    "Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy."
    Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."
    At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.
    Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!"
    The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
    The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, "Who then can be saved?"
    Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God."
    Peter said to him, "We have left everything to follow you!"
    "I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields--and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life.

And I love what Shane Claiborne has recently written about this passage:

"I think it broke Jesus' heart to let the man walk away.  The text says that Jesus looks at him and 'loves him' as he walks away.  But Jesus doesn't run after the may saying, 'Hey, it's a journey, just give half,' or 'Start with 10 percent.'  He simply lets the man choose his wealth.

In our culture of 'seeker sensitivity' and radical inclusivity, the great temptation is to compromise the cost of discipleship in order to draw a larger crowd.  With the most sincere hearts, we do not want to see anyone walk away from Jesus because of the discomfort of his cross, so we clip the claws of the Lion a little, we clean up a bit the bloody Passion we are called to follow.

...I long for people to fall in love with God and each other, and so I'm a big fan of being radically inclusive, whether that means not turning off transsexuals or folks who drive SUVs.  But I also became aware of how delicate that venture can prove to be.  The temptation we face is to compromise the cost of discipleship, and in the process, the Christian identity can get lost...This is the 'cheap grace' that spiritual writer and fellow revolutionary Dietrich Bonhoeffer called 'the most deadly enemy of the church.'"  (Shane Claiborne, The Irresistible Revolution: Living As An Ordinary Radical, Grand Rapids: Zondervan; 2006, pp. 103-105).

One of the things I respect about Shane Claiborne, is that he's an "equal opportunity critic".  He never hesitates to blast both conservatives and liberals; evangelicals and mainliners; believers inside and outside of traditional faith communities.

What our world desperately needs today are followers of Jesus who:

1. see their "follower-ship", their "apprenticeship" as their vocation. And who
   
2. see their vocation as the key determining factor in their lives, regardless of what occupation they are in or have felt directed to.

Who we are is vastly more important than what we do.  And as Shane once heard Mother Teresa say: " Do not worry about your career.  Concern yourself with your vocation, and that is to be lovers of Jesus."  (Claiborne, p. 108)

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There is no such thing as a disciple, lest they be a vocational disciple.
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Holy Spirit, help us to be such and to make such.  Amen.

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photo credit: iStockphoto

Comments

[Dan Horwedel]

Hmm. Good thoughts here, Chris. I've been meaning to pick up Shane's book. You've motivated me to again. Thanks.

[Chris Monroe]

Dan -

Thanks for the encouraging words. And when you finish Shane's book, I'd love to hear what you thought of it.

Blessings,

Chris

[Bald Man]

Well said. We (my wife and I) are preparing to open our home as "home group leaders" later this month, and I'll have to throw this into the grinder. On the off chance we get a crowd who want to check us out, what standard will I, as the "leader," set for discipleship? Hmmm... you've done and got me thinking again.

[Chris Monroe]

Bald Man -

"what standard will I, as the "leader," set for discipleship?"

That's a critical question. What understanding of discipleship will you and your wife "model" for those who come (and btw, they'll come).

Blessings!

Chris