All Called

"I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worth of the calling to which you have been called," Ephesians 4:1 ESV (emphasis mine)

Paul wasn't writing to the pastors and/or their wives in Ephesus. He was writing to the church there. He was  writing to ALL the believers in that ancient city and he was writing to us. 

As Christians, we are all "called."

In all honesty, in my 20s I sinfully and self-rightously felt that somehow my "calling" into ministry made me better and somehow closer to God than some one who wasn't "called" like I was. I would have never said that, but that is how I felt. 

I've met and known and served with other ministers' wives that carried themselves down the church halls as if they were royalty, expecting special treatment and favoritism. I've watched "lay" ladies seem to compete to be included in the "in" crowd with these at the women's ministry events. I've seen other ladies leave events like that feeling defeated as though they could never measure up spiritually to be like these "called" ladies.

The longer I follow Christ and the longer I live as minister's wife, I have learned a great deal about judging others. I don't jump to (or at least linger on) the same conclusions. I don't know how my sister minister's wife feels, where she has been with the Lord, or what He is teacher her now. 

However, I do just want to remind her, that we are all "called." None of us are closer to God because we are married to a preacher or youth pastor or "next gen" guy. None of us are more spiritual because of a "calling" to ministry. 

We are all "called" to lay down our lives, pick up our crosses and follow Him. We are all "called" to live holy, blameless lives. 

We are all "called."