Our idolatry is often directly connected to our calling. Think of Aaron who took the people’s gold and melted it down into a golden calf. Aaron was accepting his call as priest but was using it according to misordered desires and maligned will. David was asserting himself as king when he slept with Bethsheba, not using his power to protect, but to assert his power to satisfy his immediate desire. Think of Peter’s denial of Christ. Peter was to be the great proclaimer of Christ, and yet his desire to be seen a certain way caused an idolatry to swell from within him.

The biblical narrative depicts people who are called and are confronted with deep desire at the heart of their call. Similarly, we find ourselves with callings and desires, often intertwined in ways unacknowledged. Maybe we are evangelists who so intently look outwards that we fail to be a true part of the Christian community. Maybe we are teachers who get so caught up in being right that we fail to remain as children of the kingdom. Maybe we are pastors who have a heart to see the church grow and fail to trust in the faithfulness of God for that growth. Whatever our calling is there are legions of temptations at the heart it.

Where are your temptations in your calling? Or, have you given into the greatest temptation of all – pretending that your calling is so pure that it is free from temptation?