You can either sit around and wait until you are called, or you can get up and do something because you have already been called.
At best with most people who profess to know the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, attending church, loving their neighbor, being polite and kind continuously is the pinnacle of their calling, that is all there is, they are not only waiting around to be called, they are hoping they will not be. “My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.” (James 3:1)
This is an odd verse so to speak, for the Scriptures are full of admonishes to get out there into the world, into your neighborhood and workplace and tell others about the Lord, with every word we are attempting to teach others about the sin in their lives, but it could also mean a teacher of those who are already saved and need to be taught more of what it means to be a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. But there is also Hebrews 5:12, “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.”
Two years and those Paul was speaking to were still around “waiting to be called.”
“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;” (Eph. 4:11) I do not know what is next after teacher, perhaps common laborer, but I know that there is more expected than an occasional glance at the Scriptures, an obligation fulfilled every Sunday morning, a “Praise God” or “Thank you Jesus for this food” at mealtime.
“Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?” (Matt. 7:22) Today that verse might read, “Didn’t I attend church regularly, put some money in the plate each time, didn’t I think about you a lot?”
“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” (James 1:22)
Paul may have indeed meant a teacher to those who have been born-again, but I refer back to Hebrews 5:12, for how long should one sit there being taught before they also should become teachers? Two years? Twenty? And then to be told to not be many teachers seems contradictory, and since there are no contradictions in the Scriptures, that means I am missing something.
If you are not a teacher after a certain amount of time, then what are you in the body of Christ? Granted, the church building needs a maintenance man, a janitor, someone needs to help prepare meals, visit the sick, reach out with help to the poor and homeless. These hold as much grace in the Kingdom as those teachers, for they are applying in actions the words of the Lord, to love one another.
It is not the size of your heart my friends, it is the weight.
“But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.” (Matt. 13:8) Whatever your calling, from thousands of subscribers on YouTube, to a church of hundreds, to the lady that makes the cookies for the children’s Sunday school class, there will be fruits of the Spirit, and they will come as a blessing because you did not sit and wait to be called, you heard the Word of the Scriptures, you got up, you prayed for guidance, and you went and did.
The fruits of the Spirit are visible actions, performed by you through the power of the Holy Spirit for the glory of God, it is not sitting in church for an hour or so on Sunday morning.
Doing, not just hearing, that is one of the most visible proofs of one who has been crucified with Christ. You do not have to be a teacher, but if you want be, and desire it only for the glory of God, He may allow you to become one, but before you ask, pay attention to the end of that verse, you most definitely do not want to be wrong in anything you teach.
