Calling Up vs Calling Out - Ancient Twitter and a Story of Belonging

Have you noticed how difficult it is to really connect and talk these days, especially across differences? The Categories that once brought us together have become emotionally charged and potentially explosive. Anxiety is on the rise… and so is loneliness.  We value diversity. We insist on sameness.  We fear saying the wrong thing at the wrong time in the wrong way, withdrawing into ourselves, or into our tribes, and then wonder what to do with our ache of loneliness.  

Maybe that’s why I was so struck when I came across this letter between a religious leader and a community he had founded.  It was an open letter, addressed to the whole community. Written long before Twitter, this letter functioned in a somewhat similar way, continuing a contentious conversation in public. This letter addressed controversial topics including sex, celebrity, justice, and love, just to name a few.  But, what really stood out to me was how this letter, Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth, started.  

Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes, 2 To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, together with all those who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.[1]

Here's what I notice… Paul uses a form of the word called four times in his introduction.  He’s called by God to be an apostle, but he reminds his readers that they are called too.  (The word church in Greek literally means, the called-out ones.). Then he goes on to describe them as those who are called to be saints and reminds them that they share this identity with everyone everywhere who calls on the name of the Lord.  

In other words, this complicated and conflict rich letter begins by saying, I’m called to belong to God, you’re called to belong to God, we are called to be holy ones, and we share that calling with everyone who calls upon the Lord.  

This letter is not going to be about “calling out.”  It’s going to be about “calling up.”  In a context of grace and peace, they’re going to talk about some difficult things… and Paul’s going to call them “up” into being more of what they were meant to be.  

You know, I’m not a Christian cause I think it’s easy to be one… especially today.  But I do keep finding nuggets like this… wisdom that says there’s something deep and beautiful here, calling me to more of a life with God.  So, I’ll respond to God’s call, and maybe you will too… and maybe together we can call each other up to be more of what we were meant to be.   

When did you experience someone calling you “up”?

What made the difference?

[1] The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version. 1989. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers.