The Call
History is full of call stories. Ever since Abraham was called by God to form a nation that sought after God, histories, peoples, and cultures have created a series of call stories to help us understand how we seek after our creator.
Moses had his burning bush.
David had his giant. 
Jonah had his whale.
Jesus had the wilderness.
Those are a few ancient examples.
But the tradition continues.
Gandhi fought peacefully for a free India.
Martin Luther King waged war on the unjust Jim Crow laws.
Nelson Mandela overthrew the apartheid government of South Africa.
In each case, deep within these leaders, was a blossoming call story, a realization that they were called to accomplish something in their life.
C.A.L.L.
Often, we can overcomplicate the idea of a call story. We think they need to be grandiose and spectacular.
Maybe they are.
Or they might just feel that way to the person being called.
If you feel like you’re having trouble figuring out why you’re here, think through the C.A.L.L. acronym. Once you’re clear on these four points, you’re well on your way to living your call.
C – Cause
The first part of your C.A.L.L. is always about a cause.
It’s the why of your mission. The aspect of you as a unique creation that is urging you to make a difference in the world.
Michael Hyatt has said, “People lose their way when they lose their why.”
Your unique call story is no different. Find the cause of justice in the world that is burning so deep inside of you that it cannot be stopped.
One ancient prophet once said that his message was, “a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.”
“People lose their way when they lose their why.”
To find your C.A.L.L. you must first find that message of fire shut up in your bones.
A – Attitude
The second part of your C.A.L.L. is your attitude.
Far too many of us derail here. We may know our why but we then allow our circumstances to dictate how we feel about it.
Our goal was to make a difference in three years but it’s taken five (or more).
We thought we would have experienced freedom or transformation long before this moment in our life.
You will never get where you want to go if you always allow outside circumstances to dictate internal characteristics.
When your attitude is fixed on your destination, not on the circumstance, you’ll transform your life and increase your sphere of influence.
Instead of success, you’ll end up like the negative farmer. When it rains, the negative farmer complains that too much rain will wash away the soil and deplete the crops of necessary nutrients. When it stops raining, the negative farmer complains that too much sun will dry out the crop and kill off the harvest.
Don’t look at what is going wrong, but find ways to look at what is going right and create momentum in that direction.
When your attitude is fixed on your destination, not on the circumstance, you’ll transform your life and increase your sphere of influence.
L- Location
The third part of your C.A.L.L. is about a location. It is always at a particular time and place, for particular people.
Think the “longitude and latitude” metric. For Moses, it was Egypt. For Mandela, South Africa.
What is it for you?
Once you know the cause and have committed your attitude, identify the place where your message will reside.
For the homeless in your city?
Abandoned orphans from a country you visited on vacation?
Neglected retirees who have been forgotten by their family?
Whatever it is, the more specific you can be, the more action you can take.
Get clear on your cause.
Fix your attitude.
Reside in a location.
L – Legacy
Ultimately, a life well-lived and a call fully embraced outlives the person.
There’s a reason we resonate with the aforementioned heroes. We are inspired not only by their commitment to change the world, but their belief that we could do it too. Martin Luther King once said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” His firm conviction was that each of us has a part to play in bettering the world.
He’s right.
Throughout history, men and women have listened to that voice inside of them urging them to be and do more for humanity.
You also have that call.
And the capability.
Discover your cause.
Fix your attitude.
Reside in a location.
Leave a legacy.
Answer your C.A.L.L.
This part three on a series on calling.
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