By Kelly Carr

As I write this, I have recently experienced the joy of the International Conference on Missions (ICOM). When I consider this week’s topic of calling and purpose, all the wonderful people I met at ICOM come to mind.

Walking the exhibit hall at ICOM is fascinating, inspiring, and humbling. It’s fascinating to see how God has ignited in people’s hearts so many different passions for communities all over the world. It’s inspiring to learn about the creative ways people are using their talents to reach out. And it’s humbling to reflect upon my own participation in God’s kingdom—how can I support more ministries and what more can I do in my spot on the globe?

Sometimes we think about calling and purpose in life as these big, grandiose tasks that we may feel we want to take on or we may feel too small to tackle. Really God calls us to his purpose in small ways every day.

The daily acts that demonstrate compassion—holding open a door, complimenting someone’s work. The moments when we consider others before ourselves—doing a chore we despise so someone else doesn’t have to. The simple time and consideration we give one another as human beings valued by God—noticing and listening when someone is having a bad day.

Little things added all together form the greater purpose of God’s call. They can lead to something larger. But sacrifice, humility, care—those are aspects we must demonstrate no matter our passion or our skills, no matter who we share the love of Christ with. At the base of it all, Jesus said it is about two things:

“Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:37-40).