I have two rescue dogs, one Golden Retriever and one Terrier. When I call them, the Retriever comes immediately. The Terrier, well not so you could tell it. I know he hears me but he just might lay down where he is and look at me. So much for “knowing his master’s voice”. The Retriever is a female so maybe the whole “alpha male” thing has something to do with it, I just don’t know. I do know lots of women who would understand the Terrier’s (guy’s) response of just sitting there. Usually, there is a chore involved.
All of us are called. By parents, spouses, children, bosses, and the list goes on. How we respond to those calls involves our attitude, our perception of the need involved, our opinion of the one calling and how that call is going to impact us. Maybe that is why my little Terrier just lays down, his perception is that there is no emergency and that he will be inconvenienced.
This is just an observation of human behavior. We most often respond to a call with a goal in mind, a reason for our response and perhaps hopes for some reward or another tangible expression of thanks. This is usually called doing what is right, following the rules or the request because it is rational and logical and direct.
The African American church tradition has something called “call and response” which amounts to a dialogue between the congregation and the minister. It is important to the worship process. Those services are filled with energy and expression.
Jesus came to show us a different sort of call and response. He kept dealing with the Pharisees and Sadducees. He would give the call, but they couldn’t seem to respond. They were too busy doing what is right (again, following the rules) to understand that the response is to do the right thing. And, to do it just because. Like love your enemies. No one enjoys that or even the thought of it, but that is the call. Our response is not to determine if the rules have been followed or the enemy repented. No. the response is to love.
As a professor of social work, I often hear that I am a bleeding heart who just wants to give everything to the poor or the lazy or the undeserving. I try to explain that I am called to do the right thing. To forget the rules and love, with no greater motivation than it is what I am called by Christ to do. As I remember, Jesus just fed people. No paperwork, no job, no justification, no repentance. He just fed the poor, he just loved.
What if we all answered the “call” from Christ by doing the right thing? What if our laws just said, if you are hungry we will feed you. If you are sick, we will heal you. If you are naked we will clothe you. Would someone take advantage? I am quite sure that would happen. But I remember another quote, “forgive seventy times seven”. Are you responding to the call?
TMM