The Scripture readings during this weekend’s worship services will include accounts of God calling people. The Old Testament reading tells of God calling Samuel who at first did not recognize it as the LORD speaking to Him, but then was instructed by the Priest Eli to respond, “‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.” The Holy Gospel tells us that Jesus found Philip from the town of Bethsaida and said to him, “Follow Me.” Samuel went on to be a great prophet and leader for the people of Israel, and Philip was one of the Twelve. When it comes to how much is written about them in the Scriptures, there is quite a bit about Samuel (there are, after all, two books with his name attached to them); about Philip, we know relatively little.

In 1934, Pastor Michael King visited the Holy Land and, before returning to the United States, attended a conference in Germany. He was so impressed by the legacy of the reformer Martin Luther that he changed his name from Michael to “Martin Luther,” and changed the name of his five-year-old son, Michael King, Jr. to Martin Luther as well. There were many other people involved in the Reformation whose names and actions have been long forgotten, with no one wanting to be named after them, yet without their dedication to our Lord and His Word, the Reformation may never have happened to the extent that it did. In the same way during the reforming work of the civil rights movement, many nameless faces were a part of non-violent protests and tried to influence for positive change, often being scarred by the ugliness of racism. Martin Luther King, Jr. obviously was not the only person interested in making sure that all people, regardless of skin color, could have life, liberty, and the equal opportunity for happiness. Yet on Monday we’ll observe a holiday named after him (his birthday was January 15, 1929), and people continue to write about him and publish his sermons and speeches.

So what’s the point? All of us who are followers of Jesus have a particular calling (vocation) from Him to serve Him and others with the various gifts and abilities with which we’ve been blessed in the circles of influence in which He’s placed us. For a few of us, we may have the opportunity to influence many people in a public way. For the vast majority of us, we will let our Gospel light shine in the same old, same old of daily routine with no apparent recognition.

But our Lord notices and continues to call, “Follow Me!” One of the hymns we’ll sing this weekend gives a great response: Take my life and let it be Consecrated, Lord, to Thee; Take my moments and my days, Let them flow in ceaseless praise.