Hi there. I am Dr. Gilbert Soo Hoo, welcoming you back for the third episode of our series of talks on the topic, “My Work, Career, and Vocation.” Last time I focused on general principles and concepts about vocation, the big picture encompassing our lives in its entirety. As you may recall, having a clearly defined vocation is like the mission statement of an organization, informing us on the major goals and objective to pursue, stating the desirable core values or, on a personal level, the desirable character traits we should showcase, and a general idea of how to go about it.

Our expressed vocation provides a reference point by which we navigate through life, evaluating each opportunity that arises as to whether we should take it or not. We take on those opportunities that align with our vocation and contribute to our goals and objective. And we turn down those that do not or could prove to be a detour. Of course, if, in our estimation, a given opportunity that does not contribute directly to achieving our goals and objective and which does not represent a major digression or significant expenditure of our time and resources, we might opt to do it. Life is not always so cut and dry. There may be some leeway.

Vocation functions somewhat like a visual landmark near the shoreline that serves as a reference point as we travel on the water to ensure that we travel in a straight line. In my earlier years, I enjoyed rowing. Facing the stern, I could not see where I was going. So I easily deviated from the right direction of travel. But if I selected a landmark, a tree or rock near the water’s edge, I would line up the boat to that reference point. Should the boat veer off course, I would immediately know and so make midcourse corrections in order to get the boat aligned back on that point. So long as the point was centered in my view, I was confident the boat traveled in a straight line to my destination.

We all need a visual landmark to navigate in a straight line to our life’s destination. We would know fairly quickly if we are still on course or we have wandered off. We can make timely midcourse corrections so as to prevent being so far off that it takes major effort and much time to correct. But how do we go about picking that landmark? Do we have the necessary wisdom to make the right choice?

For this issue, I wish to direct our attention to faith. I realize that some of us belong to a faith community and some of us do not. The distinct advantage of faith is that we can consult with a higher power, God if you will, who is much wiser and more knowledgeable than we. As a Christian, I believe that God exercises sovereign authority in a manner much greater than the rule of any human authority. I also believe that God, unlike humans, does not make mistakes. So the wise thing to do is to tap into God’s wisdom and seek his directives for our lives. This exercise assumes that God is benevolent, desiring our good. We assume further that he is a God of truth, that he will not deceive us or lead us astray. Hence, he is trustworthy and he will respond to our quest for greater insight and discernment. These assumptions are expressions of faith based on the reading of Scripture. The Bible gives a portrait of God that invites us to come to him in order to partake of his goodness that he offers freely, graciously.

Not only does the Bible contain a description of God, his character and ways, and his actions, the Bible also conveys God’s thoughts and purpose. We Christians often characterize the Bible as God’s word.

Hence, to answer the question, “What does God have to say about vocation and, in particular, what does he desire for our vocation?”, we read the Bible. But it is one thing to find out what God says about our vocation; it is quite another matter to heed his word, whether we obey his expressed will or not. Thus, it’s a two-step process: (1) finding out what God states should be our vocation and (2) obeying him. To do so implies orienting our whole life, including how we live and how we work, to align with God’s expressed desire for us.

The Bible conveys God’s will through command, directive, and exhortation. Thus, we search for his command to and expectation of us. But there are so many recorded. Do we try to obey all of the commands given? It would be very difficult, confusing, and discouraging. It would be better if we can single out God’s greatest or most important commandment and strive to honor that. It would be even better if the greatest commandment includes all the other commandments in such a manner that, if we obey the greatest commandment, we obey all the commandments automatically.

So what is God’s greatest commandment? In fact, someone long ago asked that very question of Jesus recorded in the very first book found in the New Testament, Matthew’s gospel. In verses 35 and 36 of chapter 22 in that gospel, an expert in the law asked Jesus, “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?” The fact that a law expert asked implies that he would be qualified to ascertain the correctness of Jesus’ response.

Jesus answered in verses 37 to 40: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Jesus himself states that all of God’s commandments derive their significance from the two greatest commandments. In other words, obey these two and all the commandments will be honored. Notice that both commandments deal with relationships. The first concerns the vertical relationship between a human and God and is characterized by love, total and unconditional. The second concerns the horizontal relationship between humans also characterized by love. Calling other humans neighbor suggests closeness and being responsible for others.

Regarding these two great commandments as the pinnacle and summary of our duty to God, we can now state that God’s will points to a life dedicated to fulfilling them. It is a lifelong stewardship that characterizes us as loving people, devoted to our God and caring for others. But another question arises: “Who is my neighbor?” It so happens to be the very question asked of Jesus by another expert of the law recorded in the third book of the New Testament, the gospel of Luke, the tenth chapter, verse 29. He just repeated Jesus’ answer about the greatest commandment in Matthew a moment before. Now Jesus explains the identity of the neighbor to whom we owe love as part of the second greatest commandment. He explains with a parable, that is, a short story about a Samaritan who helps a Jewish victim of a mugging. Since the story is fictional but realistic, we know that Jesus deliberately chose the cast of characters to make his point. Historically for many centuries prior to Jesus’ day and continuing on into his time, animosity characterized the relationship between Jews and Samaritans. Jews would have no issue showing loving care to fellow Jews as they were all members of the covenant community established by Moses. But Jesus destroyed the barrier between Jews and Samaritans by inferring that a neighbor potentially in need of our help can be anyone with whom we cross paths, even if that person is from a different ethnicity, tribe, or clan. In principle, it could be anyone without discrimination.

In our day, these two greatest commandments have far-reaching implications. First, they represent a convenient summary of our total duty to God. Second, they are to be a lifelong commitment. Third, they breakdown artificial barriers we may have erected against others. Hence, we can express our vocation as obeying the two greatest commandments. We consecrate ourselves to honoring God with our very best with sincerity and without reservation. We dedicate our lives to loving people, whether we have a natural affinity toward them or not, in practical ways according to ability.

Our reaction to all this might be: “Are you serious? I didn’t expect this. It’s quite shocking, in fact. My initial reaction is, no way. I really need time to digest it all.” It’s one thing to cite these commandments; it takes us to another level to practice them. The more we reflect on this and the more it sinks in, the more we understand the very high calling God has given to us. We have to live at another level, the proverbial high road. But can we do it? Is God unrealistic in his expectations? Has he left it all up to us to struggle on our own?

The short answer is no. Scripture offers a very encouraging message that God knows that we are frail human beings and, on that account, he amply supplies us with the necessary resources so that we have a realistic chance of living up to our vocational calling.

I will explain more about our calling next time and how God makes it realistic. But for now, I close episode 3 of our series on work, career, and vocation. Until then have a safe and fulfilling day.

Questions and Comments

1. How has your faith/beliefs influenced you in pursuing your vocation?

2. What is your personal definition of neighbour for whom you feel personally responsible?

3. Do you believe your vocation includes more than just the two greatest commandments?