Vocation for All in Our Common Home

Vocation for All in Our Common Home

 

In the days of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly order of Abijah. His wife was a descendant of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. Both of them were righteous before God, living blamelessly according to all the commandments and regulations of the Lord. But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were getting on in years.

Once when he was serving as priest before God and his section was on duty, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and offer incense. Now at the time of the incense-offering, the whole assembly of the people was praying outside. Then there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified; and fear overwhelmed him. But the angel said to him, ‘Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John. You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He must never drink wine or strong drink; even before his birth he will be filled with the Holy Spirit. He will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before him, to turn the hearts of parents to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.’

Luke 1:5-17

 

As God put into action his plan to save the world, he gave vital roles to people who would not have been chosen by their community.

Elizabeth and Zachariah were an elderly couple. A faithful couple, quietly and humbly obeying God in their everyday life. They wouldn’t have been picked as the ones to bring life to a community of believers. Furthermore, Elizabeth was barren, which would have led some people to believe that God was displeased with her.

God had a special place for Elizabeth. A purpose, a calling, a vocation; to carry, birth, love and bring up John, the prophet who would prepare the imminent way for Jesus’ coming.

Jesus’ birth heralds the coming of the kingdom of God, our common home, where everyone has a place. 

Not just a place to passively live. Everyone has a purpose, a vocation, a gift for those in their community. A gift for our common home.

I live with cerebral palsy. I am an advocate for people who are marginalised. I also work for an organisation that integrates faith, work, vocation and justice. People with disabilities, refugees, young people in out of home care, and older people are far more quickly seen as people to serve than people who serve.

But God has entrusted to every person something unique for the benefit of our common home. As many people are not recognised for their vocations, many vocations are unseen.

In her old age, well after her anticipated child-rearing years, Elizabeth was called to raise John the Baptist. Before her pregnancy with John, she would have spent decades quietly and humbly obeying God and living out her vocation.

While some vocations are publicly seen, others are hidden. I have a calling to advocate for social justice. I’m also called to lament for justice. The latter is quiet and unseen. It’s in the night. Or it is sitting quietly on my balcony. It’s a call to continually posture my heart in lament as I go about my everyday life.

What do you see when you see a person with a disability, or an asylum seeker, or an older person, or a young person in out of home care? Do you expect the focus of a relationship with them to be your service to them? Or do you see a fellow server in our common home? What vocations may be quietly lived out in the community you live in?

Jesus’ birth heralds the renewal of our common home.

Every person is uniquely crafted by God and given a special place. Every person has a vocation to live out in our common home.

Dear Lord Jesus, thank you that you not only love us, but you gave each one of us a purpose; a vocation. Help us to see each person as you see them, particularly people who are marginalised. May we be honouring of the vocation that lies within us all, Amen.

Stevie Wills is a performance poet, speaker and writer who advocates for the inclusion of people with disabilities. Having cerebral palsy, she advocates for assistance that is respectful and empowering. Stevie also works for [The Different Co.] an organisation that integrates faith, work, vocation and justice.

This devotional is the ninth in a series of daily email devotionals for Advent 2023. This year's series reflects on the longing, hope, and beauty of God’s ‘Common Home’ being realised, revealed, and renewed through the birth of Jesus.

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