Christian Vocation vs. Globalism

I have been reading some of Walter Mosley's non-fiction. In Life out of Context, Mosely, who is
African American, soliloquizes on how he came to find deeper meaning in his life by helping Black people world-wide to find freedom from oppression.

I have not finished the book, but it got me thinking about several things, one being how the Biblical concept of vocation differs from the current societal trend toward globalism. Globalism says we have to think big. We must see ourselves as part of a bigger societal, economic, ecological structure.

When followed to it's natural conclusion, that idea leads toward less freedom and more socialism. We are taught to think of our place in the world and how everything we do effects the entire world. What a burden to put on people!

Kind of like your mom telling you to eat your dinner because the kids are starving in China. As if our eating it will somehow help the starving masses.

But Biblically speaking, we are exhorted to firstly care for our own spiritual needs. Hear God's Word and partake of His Holy Sacraments.

Next we are to care for our familial needs. Then the needs of our neighbors (anyone with whom we come in contact). And then at the tail end of that is our care for world needs.

Is that selfish? God gives everyone different lives. Different situations. Different interests and abilities. God uses us to further His purposes in whatever "spot" he has placed us. This is our Christian vocation. Using our place in this world and the person God has created us to be to further His work in the world. Both temporal work and spiritual labors.

If we focus on and worry about "great things" to the extent that we neglect the local part of His plan for us, we will add needless stress to our lives. God will take care of results when we faithfully perform daily the things He puts before us.

Sometimes these are big world influencing occupations. But those occupations that involve feeding our kids and keeping them clean and clothed; or putting on a coverall and working on Cars; or assembly line work; or whatever various jobs God may ask each of us to do each day; These are truly great and noble deeds.