Christians often have ideas and concepts that are rarely taught directly but come to us sideways, as a flavoring, a set of coded words or subtle suggestions.

I recall stumbling upon one of these slightly buried concepts not too long after becoming a believer in the middle of my High School years. I suppose it stands out strongly after all these years because it dealt with a subject that is usually very important to a young student; career choices.

From conversations and the way things were worded it became obvious to me as a young believer that among all the possible occupations “permissible” for a Christian (those such as becoming a professional hit man not making the list) the decision to do fulltime work as a minister or missionary was considered to have a unique and hallowed place among all other occupations.

People referred to it as a “calling” and it carried with it the expectation of living a life of blessed difficulty that would always require much personal sacrifice and staying close to the poverty line economically.

People who “heard the call” were the brave Christian soldiers who had just volunteered to lead the rest of the troop through a minefield.

Not everyone could get the “call”. God tapped you for it and your choice was to say yes to God or run from your true calling forever. (In which case the “calling” would haunt you until you quit your high paying CEO job and gave in to the inevitable)

The model was Peter and John being called away from their fishing nets to become fishers of men.

But how did someone know they were “called”?

I would hear others speak of “God’s call for their life” as though it was a clear, distinct, almost vocal demand of the Almighty. I would hear missionaries and church workers talk about being called to this place or that place with the same certainty.

I was more than willing to hear God’s call on my life… but never did.

Instead I just found that I enjoyed doing some things and didn’t enjoy doing other things. And some of the things that I enjoyed doing, I was kind of good at, so I decided to try to find a job that would let me do those things. Thus I ended up with a career in ministry, starting with students who would appreciate my cartooning skills, my story telling, my humor and my natural love for kids and my desire to talk about having a relationship with Christ.

I never heard a “call” to any particular place either.

Visitors to the church on Kauai where I Pastor will often say to me “How does a person get a call to work in Hawaii?”

I just smile and say “It’s a reward for being so very, very holy” But honestly I don’t know.

I just wanted to move here because I like the warm waves, family atmosphere and the smallness of the place. A very unspiritual response I am afraid.

After a number of years in ministry and as a Christian I am not sure I believe too much in the idea of a specific “call” to being a Pastor or missionary. But I still believe that God calls us.

I think the “call” may be hard wired in us; a natural disposition, an ability, a skill, a passion similar to what Eric Liddle, the Olympian featured in Chariots of Fire said he felt from the joy racing gave him; “when I run I feel His pleasure.”

Maybe the real call for a Christian is not to enter into the ranks of the clerics or to live among those of another culture but simply to engage in activities where “we feel His pleasure.”

Perhaps what we are really “called” to is to use our skills, passions, natural dispositions and abilities in such a way that it pleases God. And if these lead us to become a businessman, artist, school teacher, housewife, chef or construction worker, well, I would submit that we have answered God’s call on our lives with the same honor and no less importance as those of us who have found ourselves in full time church or mission occupations.