The Highest Calling

Photo by Laelia Watt

What is the highest calling? This question hit me the other day when I started realizing how many times I have heard people claim that 'the highest calling' in life is to be a parent, particularly a mother. I have also heard this same comparison as parenthood being 'the hardest job' in life.

In the past I would nod inwardly to myself and agree, "Yes, being a parent is such an important job! Training children is difficult and rewarding, requiring wisdom and patience." It is still true, but I have a quarrel with the assertion that being a parent is somehow more important than any other calling God offers.

Recently, when I kept reading various scriptures about callings and roles in the body of Christ, and finding in books, on the radio and even in secular culture this notion that being a parent supersedes any other purpose in life, the thought rubbed me the wrong way.

Where in the Bible does it say that being a parent is "THE highest calling, the hardest job, the highest purpose"? Yes, the Bible speaks clearly that children are precious, a blessing, and that parents have a responsibility to love them and train them in the way they should go. Yes, God exacts severe punishment to those who would make little ones stumble or come to harm. God loves families. He created them. Nowhere does it say being a parent is the ultimate purpose of man.

In fact, what does the Bible say is our highest calling?
To worship God and serve Him only, to worship Him in spirit and in truth.

The Bible gives clear instructions on how Christians should live this out in general: to love others, keep oneself unspotted from the world, care for orphans and widows, obey and follow Christ, rejoice always, repent of sins, forgive...

The Bible does not say that there is only one way for us to live this out our worship individually though. To talk about the Body of Christ, God's word describes how we are each different with various purposes, gifts, functions, roles, callings, which combine to make the Body work as one. If all were pastors, who would bake bread or raise crops? If all were administrators, who would play music? If all were single, who would raise the next generation? If all were married, who would devote their time solely to the ministry of God?

It also clearly states in 1 Corinthians 7 that out of the two callings of remaining single or getting married, being called to singleness is 'better' because you have more undistracted time to serve Christ in ministry. Note that that 'better' does not mean 'more holy' and singleness may not be 'better' for some people as the passage clearly states, but in general, the New Testament offers a different paradigm to our human assumptions. No longer is the purpose in life to establish our own little kingdoms, but to serve God and establish HIS kingdom. No longer is it an imperative to leave a physical legacy behind, but to concern oneself with the discipleship of the people of the world, to leave a spiritual legacy. Yes, this may include building a family and teaching the children to walk after Christ, but it is not the primary method.

This mentality that being a mother or father is 'the highest calling' bothers me, not only because it is an exaggeration, but because it actually hampers parents from being good parents! I understand that being a parent is a wonderful calling and it is hard work. It is a blessing to care for little children, uniquely created by God and given into your care and it should be undertaken with love, humility and deep consideration. I understand that there are a lot of issues in regards to families that need to be addressed in this country and the world. Fathers and mothers need to be taught and inspired, healthy families need commitment and nurturing. I think, though, because there is much emphasis for people to view parenthood as the 'highest calling,' parents set themselves up for added frustration in raising their children. There is also potential for unhealthily placing their children above their spouse or sometimes God himself, and developing an undercurrent of disdain for those whose callings are even remotely dissimilar to raising a family.

What if the calling for a single plumber serving Christ in Nappannee, IN is just as important as the parents of ten children in Austin, TX? What if the Body of Christ cannot function without the childless couple in New York who donate their extra funds and time to mentoring teenagers? And why do callings have to be ranked by how difficult they are in comparison to other callings? In our culture, choosing a lifelong celibate lifestyle is much less understood and supported than parenthood. Choosing to be married without kids is often scorned or pitied. So in theory, those could be perceived as 'harder.' The difficulty of a situation is often too relative for such comparisons, nor does the level of difficulty prove something's inherent worth.

If our highest calling as human beings is to worship God, and if our God created each of us uniquely, and if we are meant to serve God in the world according to our unique gifts and callings, AND if God makes it clear through scripture that there are various ways this can be lived out (as a man, woman, married, single, with or without children, on the mission field, as a farmer, teacher, or business person), then WHY do we pigeonhole our thinking? Rejoice that the Lord is a creative God! Find your purpose and marvel at the unique callings within the Body of Christ.