Benjamin Caleb Foster
Senior Seminar
12 March 2010
Senior Class Project: Life Resume
I was sitting listening to a financial adviser on a tape one day. Yes, it was Dave Ramsey. He was talking about how he made his success as a fiduciary extraordinaire. He talked, of course, about mutual funds, not placing all your eggs in one basket, and even dropped a shock put ball on a basket of eggs. For a class taught on tape, it was cool . As I was listening he came to a story he told. Dave, as we know, has made a success in the financial world, from losing everything to becoming a millionaire. Dave was at this point in the video explaining what he had done after becoming a millionaire. He said he started talking and making friends with billionaires. The first time he met with a billionaire was over coffee. Dave wasn’t looking for a casual conversation, he came prepared to learn from this guy. They ordered their coffee sat down, and no longer did the guy get a drink, and Dave explained to the gentleman. “This is not going to be an ordinary conversation, I want to know how you made your success.” Dave told his class that there are only three-hundred of billionaires in America. “They are a rare breed.” With pen and yellow notebook pad in hand, he proceeded to ask how? How were you able to become a billionaire? The man sat back in his seat, took a sip of his coffee, and said, ‘Well, there is this book.’ Dave excited, told his class he thought, ‘A book, books! I can do books. I love books. Readers make leaders. I love to read. Hit me with it!” The gentleman continued, ‘Yes, a book. I read it to my grandchildren every night.” Dave, a little taken back, continued listening. “ The Tortoise and the Hare,” said the gentleman solemnly. The gentleman knew this thought bewildered Dave, so he continued with his story. “No matter how many times I read this book, every time the tortoise wins! Dave it is not the quick fix, that gets you ahead. It is not the fast pace jolt of this project, or that deal. It is the consistent, step by step. That is how you build your way to success. That is how you win.” Win? What do you mean by win, Mr. Billionaire? The question arises, what makes up a life well lived? Does money? Does power over things? Does servitude? As the Holy Spirit gave utterance, He also gives utterance. I will be discussing three things that make up a life worth living: character, calling, and commission. I will show how they specifically apply in my life, and God has worked them in my life; as the Holy Spirit allows.
One day a boy and his father were out playing catch. It was a normal mid-summer day. Car’s were passing by in this small town, honking as they drove; which drove the boy crazy as he was trying to focus on catching. He had a big game next week-end, and he was determined to be ready. As the afternoon went on, his arm started hurting, then his legs were cramped, and to top it all off, a car drove by honking it’s horn at the right enough time to distract him from focusing on catching the ball, and it socked him a good one, right in the eye. Thankfully his eye was o.k. After this, he fell to the ground; I don’t know if it was out of anger, or tears, but his dad asked him. “Son, what’s a matter?” His son replied, “My arm hurts, my legs hurts, and to top it all off, my eyes beating to beat the band; I just hate pain! Why do I have to experience pain?” After a couple of more cars came by, his father said, “Well, son, pain builds, character…” The son began to wonder, ‘Why do I need character? What importance does it play, and is it gained all at once, or do I build it over a lifetime?’ Character expresses what I believe, it shows what I value, and it becomes why I exist. Proverbs 20:7 says, “A righteous man who walks in his integrity. How blessed are his sons after him” (NASB).
Character is what I believe. Character is one of those words I throw around more than a baseball is thrown at a Cardinals game, but what does it mean? Webster’s Dictionary defines character as, “… 5. Moral strength, 6. Reputation, 7. Status or position…”. Character expresses ‘moral strength.’ An example of moral strength, would be the young lady at the Columbine shootings, so many years ago. She not only said she was a Christian, but she lived up to it. When put to the test, she came through. One of my favorite quotes from the book, Wild at Heart, John Eldridge is quoting former U. S. President Teddy Roosevelt. “ It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly… who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who have never known neither victory nor defeat.” Man, what a quote! Character, whether I win or fail, lose or die, I will continue. Character is what I believe.
Character shows what I value. It becomes the act of the belief. When the girl from Columbine was put to the test she believed it so much, that she stood there and did not waiver. Value, as described by Webster‘s, is the worth of a thing in money or goods, its estimated worth, its purchasing power, that quality of a thing which makes it more or less desirable, more or less useful, a thing or quality having intrinsic worth. I value expressing God’s love to the point of no return. One day in French class, in High School, there was some down time, right before the class bell. Behind me in class sat two unlikely characters (pun intended). They were dressed in black. From the looks of things, they were from a less wealthy home. They were talking about, of all things to talk about,
drugs, and getting high. It had been my goal in life at the time, ‘To express God’s love and power so effectively that it would change lives.’ I was in the eighth grade, the year before high school began; the year before one becomes public with some permanency. This was the time when making fun of others was common place, and still very uncomfortable. It was the time not to be what D. C. Talk calls a “Jesus Freak;” but I was; and there was no turning back. I was eas-dropping, only as one would when trying to enter the conversation; but none the less I was eas-dropping, and over heard the topic. Not being one exposed to illegal drugs; yet knowing of their danger, I felt compelled to join in. I turned to them both, a young lady and a young man, and said, “You know, I got high just yesterday too….. High on the Holy Spirit.” Talk about a conversation changer, and open range on me. But I valued expressing my beliefs in a way that wouldn’t cast out people; rather that it would make me the joke, and God the solution. Needless to say, they put on their best faces when I was looking, and began to snicker the moment I wasn’t, but I didn’t care. It was life or death; it was heaven or hell; it was God or nothing. Expressing God’s love and power so effectively that it would change lives; is still what I value today.
Today. “To be, or not to be,” is what the play write said. Existence. ‘To exist, or not to exist,’ is my question. Character becomes why I exist. It becomes why I live and breath. To become like Christ, so much so, that I would express God’s love and power, so effectively that it would change lives. I love the fact that, “To be” is the name of God. I had asked one of the Messenger College teachers one day about Adam and Eve. After Adam and Eve had partaken of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil;
after they had done that, why did God say this. ‘Since man has become like Us, knowing
good and evil, we must cast him out of the garden. Lest he take hold of the fruit of the tree of life, and live forever.’ Paraphrased of course. What?! God I do not understand. All of my life I had been taught that becoming more like you is a good thing. Why, now; or then, more specifically; did you express them becoming more like you as a bad thing? To sum up the teachers answer; he said essentially, ‘God was number one. God made man, number two, a little above the angels, filling man with His breath (His Holy Spirit!). Angels as number three, and so on. God made man number two. And number one said to number two, ‘Do not eat of the tree in the midst of the garden lest you die [ and you stop being number two, and you start being your own number one]. When God said, ‘Man has become like Us,’ He meant that as, man is stepping out from underneath God, Elohim’s authority, and becoming his own, perverted number one, just like Satan.’ Not good. Every where around the world, daily, son’s of Adam, and daughter’s of Eve, do this, in one way or another. They become their own perverted number one’s, and miss the entire reason they exist! To express God’s love and power, so effectively that it changes things.
“Character, Dad, why do I need character?” Of course the boys father was not going to say, because character expresses what I believe, it shows what I value, and it becomes why I exist. No. His father looked at his son, and simply said, “Son, character builds life, a life worth living; that‘s why.” Proverbs 20:7 says, “The godly walk with integrity [character]; blessed are their children who follow them” (NLT). God, I want to live a life of character, a life after You! That is a life of character.
Calling. “The most important aspects of any man’s world- his relationship with his God and with the people in his life, his calling, the spiritual battles he’ll face- every one of them is fraught with mystery. But that is not a bad thing; it is a joyful, rich part of reality and essential to our soul’s thirst for adventure” (John Eldredge, emphasis added). Every person knows that they were made for a particular purpose. We feel it when we grow up, and see that first breath taking view of the mountains. We know it when the rushing crash of thunder bounces between our ears, saying there is something more; more beautiful, more glorious; something more for me. We can see it in the book, The Last Battle, by C. S. Lewis; when at the beginning of eternity, after the end of Narnia; Aslan looks at his people and says, “Further up, and further in, [there is more to be explored].” There is more! God tells us that, “[w]e are called out of darkness, and into His marvelous light” (Holy Bible). There is a calling placed upon each individuals life. The problem we have is accessing it. The Christian, on the one hand, bypasses this particular struggle by simply asking, “… the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” God does not hold back, but rather, “gives to all men liberally.” Who defines what I do? Obviously God does, but how do I learn what my particular calling is? I am going to look at three specific topics: what I am good at, what I am passionate about, and how I can connect my gifts and passions to the Kingdom of God, to answer this question.
Ephesians 4:8 says, “Therefore he says: ‘When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men’” (NKJV). When looking at this I would ask what particular gifts did God give me? God has given me many abilities: Singing, working, listening, concern, patience to listen, and stick-to-itiveness. When someone says they have the ability to listen, it means they have the patience (fruit of the Spirit) to consider someone else’s perspective, even if, all it is, is listening to someone vent or cry. God has given me access to His Holy Spirit. Fruit of the Spirit. Every born again Spirit filled believer has access to the Fruit of the Spirit. The Bible says, ‘That He who began a good work in you, is faithful to complete it until the Day in Christ Jesus.’ My responsibility is to practice, and become a finisher. I need to cultivate my gifts. It would be pointless to be given something, and not use it. It would be like my dad, when he was given the task of baking the Thanksgiving pies. These pies looked delicious! He had taken the time, and even waited in the kitchen while the pies were cooking. He did the hard work. I am surprised there wasn’t sweat on his face after he was done. He was proud of his pies. Mother usually orchestrated the pie making. It showed when we went to bite into these delicious looking morsels. Mom questioned, “Honey, I think something’s missing. Salt?” “No,” replied Dad, “I remember putting salt in there.” My brother, ready to dive into the mystery, took a bite, and dully asked my dad, “Sugar?” Taken back, my dad re-thought his procedure. Then a sickening expression dawned his face. He had forgotten sugar in the pies! Whatever I have been given and have cultivated in my life are my gifts.
I can not truly cultivate something, I do not enjoy doing. I have to be passionate about it. I know that Christ did not, at the time of His crucifixion, enjoy the pain. “[B]ut for the joy that was set before Him, He endured the [cross].” Passion can be compared to sacrifice. Christ’s time of suffering is often called the Passion Week. The week He sacrificed his life, because He was passionate about bringing lost humanity back into connection with God. I once had an instructor who was waiting with me in a lobby. There was about an hour wait, and only myself and the instructor waiting. We started chatting, and got onto the subject of my life. He asked, “Caleb, is ministry what you want to do with the rest of your life?” I listened as he continued, “If you are not one-hundred percent sold on doing ministry; if you can find anything else that you want to do, do it! Because that’s where your heart is.” I sat there, and took in all that he had said. As he added, “Caleb, if you could do anything right now, what would you do?” Talk about being put on the spot. I had to come up with an answer. The first thing that came to me was flying. “Fly,” I answered, “like Peter Pan, or Superman. Fly.” He looked at me and said, “Go get your wings, Caleb.” I have experienced a greater flight, a greater high, than the highest peak. There is no speed more terrifying, no height more beautiful, no sun as glorious, nothing I am more passionate about as this. I have come to hear the thoughts of God communicating through the Holy Spirit, and I long for people to experience the same awe-inspiring, terrifying, beautiful presence of the Almighty God. I am passionate for God to be glorified, and more people to glorify Him.
But how do I get what I am passionate about connected to the Kingdom of God? How do I glorify God, and get more people to glorify God; and fuse those together with what God is doing? How do I take my gifts, and my passions; and apply them to what God is doing in the world? I think that the phrase ‘the Kingdom of God,’ is one of those words, that are a dime a dozen. Tossed to and fro by every wind of change. The Bible describes the Kingdom of God, as a mustard seed. “It is the smallest of all seeds, but it becomes the largest of garden plants and grows into a tree where birds can come and find shelter in its branches” (Matt. 13:32). The web-site allaboutjesuschrist.org explains the parable this way. Their description isn’t perfect, but I feel it gets the ball rolling in the right direction. They explain it this way. “The sower is Jesus Himself. He is the planter who came to atone for our sins so that we might become fruitful. The mustard seed was the smallest seed known at the time. While it becomes more of a shrub than a tree, it can reach about 10 feet high. The mustard seed represents the Gospel, starting very small but growing to reach millions throughout the world who will inherit the kingdom. The field represents all the people of the earth who will receive Him. The tree is rooted in Jesus Christ and has grown a harvest far beyond its initial planting. The King James Version says ‘it is the greatest among all herbs,’ growing far reaching branches beyond natural explanation. The birds’ of the air in this parable probably come from the Greek word ‘orneon,’ signifying ‘to perceive, to hear.’ The tree offers a refuge for His faithful to rest in Him.” The kingdom of God is so powerful, that only a little bit of it, when planted can grow into something gigantic! So big, that even birds, which could of swallowed that little seed quickly can now come and rest in its branches. The Kingdom of God is something so powerful, that even only a little bit can increase tremendous results. Jesus continued in Matthew by saying, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like yeast used by a woman making bread. Even though she used a large amount of flour, the yeast permeated every part of the dough.” The Kingdom of God is so powerful, that even just a little bit can change a large portion. Even just a little bit of the Kingdom of God applied to whatever it is applied to, will change the whole thing. So, how do I apply my gifts and passions to the Kingdom of God. I do it knowing that God will change them, and make them grow way beyond comparison of my ability. God will apply Himself to whatever I give to Him. How do I connect these things? Simply put, by faith! By trusting in God, I am beginning to connect my gifts and passions to His Kingdom!
Every person knows that they were made for something greater. I have come to find my calling in the greatest one. God. Through looking at my gifts, reaching for my passions, and applying both, or should I say letting God apply Himself to them, I have come to see my calling. Whatever has been given to me, and whatever has been cultivated in my life, these are my gifts. I am passionate for God to be glorified, and many more people to glorify Him. By trusting in God, having faith, this begins the connection of my gifts and passions to God’s Kingdom! I want to end with this thought. “The place where God calls you is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet” (Wild at Heart, Frederick Buechner).
One day I was out raking leaves together, in order to burn them for the summer. It was the director’s desire to have the grounds looking beautiful well before summer came around. We gathered the leaves in big groups across what seemed to be twenty acres of campgrounds and burn them all. I enjoyed it immensely. As I gathered the leaves, I kept thinking of God. I thought of one scenario, and it built like this. “The leaves Caleb, that you are preparing to burn, are people that God has prepared to burn for Himself. When you go to ignite them, the ones that have no water in them will be consumed by the fire. The one’s that are wet can be dried, if they will let the sun dry them. The fire can represent the Holy Spirit. The sun, God‘s son. The raker, the Father.” My thoughts continued, “Caleb, God, the Holy Spirit ignites the leaves, so they burn and become like Him. The leaves catch others leaves on fire. Unless a leaf has been soaked in the earth and water or blown away, it would burn. After a leaf had been seen by the raker the Father could position the burning leaves to catch others on fire. He could also turn over leaves and expose them to the sun. And the sun, representative of Jesus, could be the carrier of grace, heat, which dries up the water in the leaf to prepare it to be consumed by the fire.” It could be said of God that, “I am the one who gathers, the one who dries, the one who burns; I am, that I am.” Some of the leaves were wet, others blew away, but the ones who allowed the fire to consume them, had no chose but to spread the fire which was growing on them. I have an intense desire to know God, and to let Him express Himself, as He is known! I have an intense desire for others to and who know Him! “You have a calling when you connect your gifts to the Kingdom, but you have a commission when you are sent to complete a task” (Commission Outline). Christ told us in Mathew, To go into all the world, preaching the gospel to the poor, into all Israel, and Judea, in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the world. We have a commission to go. God re-iterated it to me when I was young. It has come to fruition by this saying, I long to know God, and long for others to and who know Him. The question is how will I be accomplishing this in one year, in ten years, and in forty years. How do I look to spread the fire, the fire of God, in my life!
In one year, three-hundred and sixty five days from today, I have a lot of options available. Not all of them are feasible. These are my options: graduate school, internship, or straight into the ministry. If I pursue graduate work, it breaks into two sub-fields: secular, or christian. If I pursued secular, I would learn either linguistics, or aeronautics. If I pursued christian, I would attain a Master’s of Theology, or Divinity. After that I would pray about applying for a Doctorate program. This is my first option. Secondly, I could intern. If I interned, I could move anywhere. Literally, from the purple mountains of Virginia, to the sun filled land of the West. From the Lone Star State to cheesy Wisconsin, I could intern anywhere. God is the director. Even across the earth there is a vast number of pastor’s needing help. Not only pastor’s, but churches as well. Thirdly, they are crying out for God’s direction. What I mean by straight into ministry is becoming a pastor or missionary. Taking over a church or position. This option is more limited in geographic availability, but is still a very real possibility. Brother Wilson approached me one day, last semester. He told me a pastor in Florida was planting churches that needed pastoring. The last option I mentioned is the last option I would consider. Not that I do not want to dive into what God has for me to do, but it does not seem wise to start into straight pastoring. God would really have to confirm it for me to go in that direction. The first venue I proposed, schooling, would be the second I would consider. Seventeen years of schooling strikes me as good. More schooling is not my first desire, but getting a master’s degree would help in the long run. The option I am considering first is interning. Mentoring under another minister, whether as a youth, worship, children’s, singles, associate pastor, or helping in another part of ministry. I feel that no matter where I go, it is important to know and implement one thing. I will be serving God and others, and teaching others to do the same.
This question flows into the years ahead. New presidents, new wars, new friends, new McDonald’s Dollar menu items! Ten years, how would what I have done effect the Kingdom of God? How will it have brought hope to the hopeless, grace to the condemned, love to the unmindfully hated? Looking at the options again. If I had gone into Graduate work secularly, I would have had my pilot’s license, and or two to three languages learned. I would be involved in a job that would pay off my schooling. It is important to be financially on top. If I took this option I could be serving the ministry by being available to fly a jet or be a translator between languages for a church, district, or denomination. I would not throw out the idea that God could have me married, and the lady have birthed at least one child. If I would go into christian graduate work, I would have been six years into pastoring, assisting, or even possibly teaching for a christian college. The child and wife idea would be pretty much the same in this scenario. The next option, of interning under a pastor would take me to a similar place the christian graduate work would take me. Minus the idea of teaching at a christian college. I would have more experience in direct ministry, and possibly a more defined role on my life. The third option would not have been considered more and likely until this time. It would not be wise to jump right into a job without learning from someone that is experienced. An apprenticeship is what it is. Carpenters do it, landscapers do it, even doctors have a similar option. No matter what I will be doing at this time, it is studious to make note one thing. I will be reaching for God and others, and teaching others to do the same.
In forty years, just to say that, gives me thoughts of peace. I wish to have by this time sent students to Messenger College. I wish to have seen much fruit from that. I wish to have children, focused in the calling God has placed on their lives. The work that they are doing is built upon a stronger foundation than my parents provided. I wish to have grandchildren being raised to love the Lord God. Some even already considering the work of the Lord in their lives. I wish to see the outpouring of the Holy Spirit afresh. I wish to see the church closer to God, and Israel. Israel to have come to the knowledge of their God, through the experience of the Holy Spirit. I will wish to have come nearer in relationship to Christ. All the more, I will have brought up multiple, multiplying followers of Christ. I will have taught many, including those specific ones that followed me, the truths of the mystery of the gospel given, handed, and entrusted to me as a good slave of Jesus Christ. I would have retired from flying, not by choice, and possibly have settled down to crop dusting. I would have made a continual impact in translating the Bible into an all the more readable and understandable picture for others to see. I would have continued to reach my generation with the Word of God, and other generations the same. In forty years, carrying the fire of God, further than it had been would be quite a goal. Until I reach the pearly gates where Christ’s Father, my Father, resides; and I hear Him say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant, enter into the joy’s set before you.” And no matter what the cost was, no matter what I was living, to get to God now and continually is where I want to be! Where I want to reside! It is where I want to live! I want one thing to be said of me. I trusted in God and others, and taught others to do the same.
As a person and future pastor, I have been commissioned to do one thing. To go into all the world and preach the gospel. God is all that I will need. In one year, in ten years, and to the end of my life, God be glorified! God said that, “He is the author and the finisher of my faith.” He was the one who started the fire inside of me. He is the One who will continue to furnish it. “He who has begun a good work in me, is faithful to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus.”
The question arose, what makes up a life well lived? What makes a life something worth living? One that is filled with character, known with calling, and completed by God’s commissioning. As the Holy Spirit fell on the day of Pentecost, and continued to draw us closer to God. I will continually, step by step, not jolt by jolt, from faith to faith, walk out my life listening to God.
