God's Call

"God is calling you to where the need is" -Mother Theresa

Among this new Christian community that I am hanging out with, there is a lot of talk about "God's call." It refers to the direction in life that you are taking, because you feel that God is calling you, or telling you, or strongly suggesting to you, that you move in this direction or that. If you are truly commited to God, want to please Him, want to fulfill His purpose for your life and be a part of his redeeming plan for this world, you would feel that "God's call" is a divine order to take part in.
This "call" can be pretty ambiguos, and is hard to decifer and know for sure. How do you know what God is calling you to do? How can you be certain of his will for your life? How will you be sure that it's His call and not your own desire?
I heard this woman quote Mother Theresa the other day, saying that she never felt that God had specifically called her to any particular act of service. She just saw a need and knew that God wanted her to meet those needs for other people.
So, while we Christians sit around waiting for God's divine call in our lives, maybe we ought to just look around, see where there is a need and do something about it. Maybe it's being a good mom, taking care of your kids and devoting a certain season of your life to that. Maybe it's being a hard working employee, always doing right and being honest and demonstrating with your life the difference that God makes. Maybe it's being the helpful neighbor who is always willing to help out, make a meal, run an errand, or lend a hand. Maybe it's the person who feels a deep desire to help out in their church, or volunteer with troubled teens, or give their time and talents to a local non profit organization. Maybe it's the stranger you walk by, that makes the first move to say a warm and heartfelt "hello, how are you?" as if they really care. This call can take on any shape or form, but it does a few things in every place and circumstance...it loves God, it is ready to serve Him and his people with a humble heart, it sees a need and it fills it in order to be a part of God's plan to save this world.