Dr. Gary North wrote thousands of articles and his famed Economic Commentary of the Bible. In addition to writing dozens of other theological books, he designed and founded the Ron Paul Homeschool Curriculum. It would be an understatement to call Gary North a productive man. At one point, he wrote 50 articles per week. But with all his numerous achievements—literate, philosophical, etc.—his arguably greatest achievement may have been the job vs. calling concept that he popularized. It is doubtful whether he recognized this. His economic commentary on the Bible was his pride and jewel, but in terms of impact, his essays and lectures on the job vs. calling distinction have likely been more influential.
I have often considered the various jobs I might have. Some of those ideas were good and plausible, others were absurd. However, my calling has always left me stumbling. Dr. Gary North defines a calling as: “The thing you can do in which you would be most difficult to replace.” In today’s study course lesson, Dr. Gary North established the criteria for finding a calling. It was insightful, and it gave me some ideas.
His first tip was to assess my talents and try building on them. That is not because obtaining more talents in the future is impossible—it is very possible—but he says people tend to enjoy doing what they are already good at, and it is vitally important that you enjoy your calling. Without joy, you will not make progress on those goals. In terms of my current skill set, I enjoy writing and speaking.
His second tip was to identify a need you can satisfy. This is one area where things get tricky. I love reading about history, which under the first tip would make a fantastic calling since I am “talented” in it and enjoy the subject. However, under the second criterion of satisfying a need, it falls apart. I cannot imagine how my reading about history would serve anyone besides me and possibly my family.
Finally, he addressed the attainability of becoming the best in your field. That is necessary because according to the definition of a calling, it’s something in which “you are the most difficult to replace.” North said ranking in the top 20% of people in that field is a good start, and ranking in the top 5% means you are exceptional and truly irreplaceable. The understandable question becomes: can I attain the level of excellence needed to be irreplaceable in my desired calling? I may have a talent in that field, enjoy it, and there may be a need, but if I am easily replaceable, the entire thing comes crumbling down. In other words, it’s back to the drawing board. However, excellence is only one side of the same coin. The other question is: what are the costs to attain excellence?
As I said before, writing and speaking seem to be my talents (though I despise using that word in self-praise). With that said, I can think of two fields where those skills can be used effectively while also establishing the three criteria listed above: politics/law and theology.
As a Christian, I understand the need for faithful pastors, deacons, and teachers as a whole. Not only is there a larger worldly need, but there is also a personal need to educate myself in theology for the sake of the truth. If my calling is in theology, I do not know whether that would manifest itself in the form of a pastor, deacon, or writer like Gary North. I have no idea, but it has been on my mind lately.
Then, the second need I see is in the government. Should I go this route, I do not know whether it would be through contributions to educating the public, as a politician, or something like writing the legislation in a think-tank. Once again, the manifestation of how I might contribute to society in this area is gray. I do not know.
As I continue going through high school, I will continue thinking and praying about my calling, while also consulting my parents. Right now, those are the two areas that interest me. The quest continues. Eventually, I will identify the thing I can do in which I will be most irreplaceable.
Asher Sisneros 