The Need Is Not the Call
The World Is Not Ours to Save, and a unique conversion story.
One of my favorite conversion stories comes from Tyler Wigg-Stevenson, in his book The World Is Not Ours to Save.
His parents were activists against nuclear proliferation, and, as a young adult, he continued that work. Then, after he organized a rally that took a turn for the worse (a bunch of former hippies streaked around San Francisco chanting, “Nudes, not nukes!”), he was left mortified and humiliated.
The next day he faced the question: “What would you be willing to do to get rid of nuclear weapons?”
He realized: “I was willing to do anything. But there was nothing I could do.”
As he sat in a stairwell and wept from that realization, God spoke.
The world is not yours, not to save or to damn. Only serve the one whose it is.
When he sat in the stairwell, he had no religion. “I walked out of the stairwell with a wet face and a peaceful heart.”
The world is not ours to save. Serve the one whose it is. We each get to do what we’re called to do, day by day, knowing that we are serving God, and that he is in charge of what happens.
A mentor of mine once said something similar: “The need is not the call. The call is the call.”
Translated: the world is full of need. We are not responsible for all of it. We listen and do what God tells us to do in each season.
Lord God, move on your children this day. Lord, may we release to you all the excess weight that we’ve been carrying, and give it to you to carry instead.
“Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.” Thank you, Jesus, that you are strong enough, and your shoulders are wide enough.
Thank you that the world is yours to save. May we serve you faithfully.
Now to him who is able to establish you in accordance with the gospel,
Amy Joy
P.S. For the practice of setting down the weight, see How to Stop Carrying Everyone’s Burdens.
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