The Sanctity of Common Life
“And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ Then I said, ‘Here I am! Send me.’” Isaiah 6:8
One of the insights that came from the Protestant Reformation is the “sanctity of the common life.” This means that ordinary life is not sinful. Rather ordinary life is the place a Christian is to live out their faith. Jesus lived in the world and did not isolate himself from it. We too were called to live in the world in order to do God’s work in it.
What does it mean that ordinary life can be holy? It simply means that every Christian can serve God in daily life. We can serve God in our work, in our family, in our rest, and in our community. Jesus himself is the example of this. Most of Jesus’ life was lived as a member of his family. He did not begin his ministry until about age 30. Until that time, he was a carpenter, son, brother, and family member. He did the things that ordinary people and families do, like go to weddings, such as the one he attended in Cana of Galilee (John 2:1-11). That Jesus lived in a family and community is God’s validation and affirmation of ordinary life.
At the time of the Protestant Reformation, the idea that the ordinary life could be holy led to a rethinking of vocation and calling. The Bible is filled with accounts of people who were called to some vocation or particular task. The Old Testament prophets are good illustrations. God called them to become prophets and to particular tasks. The account of Isaiah is an example. God called him to a particular task and he responded by saying, “Here I am! Send me.” The reformers thought that every Christian has a calling from God, whether they feel a special call or not. Every Christian has a calling to faith, to the church, to their community, and to the Christian life.
The call to faith involves an outward call that involves hearing the message of the gospel. The outward call is the proclamation of the good news of the salvation available in Jesus Christ. We hear the outward call of God through preaching. We respond because we also hear an inner call to faith. This inner call is the work of the Holy Spirit who awakens faith in us and calls us to respond. In this sense, to be a Christian is to hear the call of the gospel, both outwardly and inwardly, and respond to it with faith.
Does every Christian feel an inner call to some special work or task? Not necessarily. God continues to call people to service in his church and in the world. Pastors often tell of their own inner sense of calling to church service. Other Christians will tell of a sense of calling to some ministry or some work in the community or some way of reaching out to others. God’s Holy Spirit moves in the lives of people and continues to call them into places of service. This does not mean, however, that everyone must feel some inner call to be able to serve God in the world. We serve God in our daily lives and in our vocations. To do our best at what God has given us to do is service to God and pleasing in his sight. Jesus is our example that living in the world can be a holy calling.