The most common reason that Christians fail to answer the call of Christ is that they fail to notice it. The more you believe that your religion spares you from the need for improvement, the less likely it will be that you notice and act appropriately in the situations that provide an opportunity to do so. Many who proclaim to be staunch atheists do more to improve themselves and others than many professed Christians. Those who artificially filter their actions in life by whether it falls under religion or not are doomed to an extremely limited relationship with God and far less joy here and hereafter than they would otherwise have. While the Lord’s invitations can come in the form of an established church teaching, or something you notice while reading your scriptures, or an idea you receive during prayer, most of them come in the form of a situation providing an opportunity for improvement.
Rather than see improvement as something different than or only a part of the calling of Christ, it is more correct to invert this— invitations to improve are precisely what show us how Jesus is. Jesus calls you in his name by providing you with an opportunity to change how you think, feel, or act after a better option is made known to you.
The voice of the Lord is the voice of improvement. Because all good things come from and lead to God, all invitations to improve are a call in the name of Christ. All of God’s creation is designed to invite us to become better than we are.1503 All people are called by the name of Christ: in every problem they face, every question they have, every example of improvement they see, and every choice better than those they have hitherto made. The desires you have, the challenges you face as you fulfill them, every interaction you have with everyone else, and all things besides are all designed to lead you to recognize and make use of opportunities for improvement.
Footnotes
- 1. Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. (Matthew 6:19-21) ↩
- 2. Wherefore the voice of the Lord is unto the ends of the earth, that all that will hear may hear. (D&C 1:11) ↩
- 3. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. (John 3:19-21) ↩
- 4. For many are called, but few are chosen. (Matthew 22:14) ↩
- 5. Yea, blessed is this people who are willing to bear my name; for in my name shall they be called; and they are mine. (Mosiah 26:18) ↩
- 6. As the prophets wrote, God will reach out in demonstration of himself to all people. No matter where they begin, how small their initial steps, or how long the journey may be, every man therefore that heeds him will come unto me. (John 6:45, Author’s Reflection) ↩
- 7. But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. (Matthew 21:28-31) ↩
- 8. And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? (Luke 6:46) ↩