“Let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches.”
— Paul
“You were born an original. Don’t die a copy.”
— John Mason
THE PLAYGROUND AND PULL OF COMPARISON
Yesterday, we took our kids to the park.
The sun was out. The slides were slick. The sounds of play echoed across woodchips and monkey bars.
My oldest, who is four years old, immediately spotted a group of older kids swinging like daredevils from the tallest parts of the playground.
They were fearless.
Dangling from the tallest bars. Launching themselves off slides. Sprinting from one structure to the next. It was their kingdom.
I could see it in my son’s face.
He wanted to be part of it.
But instead of joining in, he stood frozen, watching them from a distance. Longing. Wishing. Comparing.
I tried to coach him gently:
“Hey bud, look around, you’ve got a whole playground in front of you. You don’t have to play like them. Play like you.”
But the more he watched them the deeper his desire to not just do what they were doing, but to be who they were, robbed him of the adventure that was already available.
And as I drove home that afternoon I thought to myself…
I do the exact same thing.
THE SPECTATOR AGE OF CHRISTIANITY
It’s easier than ever to live vicariously through someone else’s obedience.
We live in an age where we can watch a dozen sermons a week, scroll through baptisms, street evangelism, revival nights, and deeply moving stories of faith all from the comfort of our phones.
Those things are beautiful.
But they can become paralyzing.
We see a gifted communicator and convince ourselves, “Well, I’m not that.”
We see a bold evangelist and think, “I’m not ready for those conversations.”
We see a leader making kingdom waves and silently whisper, “They’ve got the influence. I’ve got nothing.”
And over time, we slip into passivity.
We substitute movement with inspiration.
We call consuming content discipleship and watching obedience faithfulness.
But the kingdom of God doesn’t run on spectators.
WATCHING SOMEONE ELSE'S CALLING WON'T FULFILL YOURS
Here’s the truth:
God has called you to the field.
You don’t need a stage.
You don’t need a podcast.
You don’t need to “go viral.”
You just need to be faithful with what’s in front of you.
We've all heard that comparison is the thief of joy, but it's also the thief of calling.
When you spend your life watching others play the game, your own spiritual muscles atrophy. You start to lose touch with the reality that you are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works that were prepared in advance for you to walk in. [Ephesians 2:10]
There are things in your neighborhood, your family, your workplace, your community that only you can step into.
There are people who need your story.
Your voice.
Your prayers.
Your presence.
Your table.
Your care.
Don’t let someone else’s gift convince you to bury your own.
THE FIELD IS WHERE FORMATION HAPPENS
There’s a different kind of growth that happens when you move from the stands to the field.
Reading about prayer is one thing.
Kneeling in your living room with tear-soaked carpet is another.
Listening to a sermon on evangelism is great.
But walking across the street to knock on a neighbor’s door takes courage and produces faith.
We learn faith not just in observation, but in action.
Discipleship is learned through motion. Through risk. Through trying. Through showing up and failing and showing up again.
You weren’t saved to sit on the sidelines.
You were called to step onto the field and carry the ball a few yards forward for the kingdom.
It doesn’t have to be flashy.
You don’t need a spiritual highlight reel.
You need to be faithful.
Daily obedience.
Showing up to the game when it's raining, when you’re tired, when you’d rather sit it out, but you play because you’re called to something bigger than yourself.
DON'T DESPISE SMALL ASSIGNMENTS
Not every player is the quarterback.
Some block. Some run. Some hold the line. Some carry water.
And the kingdom needs every one of them.
Don’t despise the small assignments.
The coffee you bring to a discouraged coworker.
The five-minute prayer you whisper over your child’s bed.
The invitation to your table.
The “how are you really doing?” text you send after getting a templated response from a friend.
These are kingdom moments.
And they matter more than you know.
A FINAL CHARGE
God hasn’t forgotten how He made you.
He hasn’t misplaced your purpose.
He hasn’t overlooked your gifts.
He didn’t put you where you are on accident.
You were made for this moment.
The Christian life is not a spectator sport.
It’s not a podcast. It’s not a stream.
It’s not a highlight reel of someone else’s obedience.
It’s a gritty, beautiful, ordinary, miraculous call to get in the game.
So my challenge to you this week… get on the field.
Open your Bible and actually meet with God.
Look someone in the eye and ask them how they’re really doing.
Call the person you’ve been avoiding.
Text the friend you’ve lost touch with.
Pray for the courage to obey the next right thing.
Because while you’re watching someone else’s story unfold, your own calling is waiting.
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