Scripture

Acts 26:12-16 NIV

“On one of these journeys I was going to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. About noon, O king, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, blazing around me and my companions. We all fell to the ground, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ Then I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied. ‘Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen of me and what I will show you.’”

Consider

What is often described as the story of Paul’s conversion is also the story of Paul’s divine call. His encounter with Jesus on the Damascus road did not change his identity as a Jew but rather his understanding of what being a Jew meant in light of the risen Messiah. Jesus spoke directly into Paul’s life and commissioned him to be “a servant and a witness” to the Gentiles “to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me” (v. 18).

Not all of us receive a call from God as dramatic and decisive as Paul’s. Moreover, we may receive more than one call as we journey with Christ, as we mature in our faith and encounter new and challenging situations. Although particulars change, the basic call remains the same: to be a servant and a witness for Christ.

Viewing our relationships in terms of this divine calling can reshape our thoughts and redirect our responses to people. Consider your “call story” at this particular season of your life. To whom might God be calling you to be a light for Christ? Here are some suggestions:

• Someone close to you, such as a brother or sister in the faith who needs encouragement.
• A neighbor, coworker, or family member who is far from God and does not know Jesus.
• Someone who is struggling with mental or physical illness—cancer, depression, loneliness, substance abuse, addiction to pornography or sex—who needs God’s help urgently.
• A victim of human cruelty, perhaps from childhood, who has never known the goodness and grace available through faith in Christ.
• Someone estranged from you whose heart could be softened by your generosity, whether through your apology or your forgiveness.

As you consider your current “call story,” dig deeper with these two questions:

• What outcome might God desire for me and for the other person through our interactions?
• How has God particularly equipped me to be a servant and a witness in this situation?

Pray

Lord Jesus, redirect my gaze to see opportunities to serve you in my relationships. Share with me your desires for the people in my life and equip me with the grace and goodness I need to minister to them in love and humility. Grow my faith and deepen my understanding of what it means to follow You in every circumstance.

Reflect

Acts 1:8;  1 Peter 3:15

Ponder

As I think about a difficult relationship, what would it mean to reframe it as part of my “call story”?