By Rabbi Koval
Standing in line at the mechanic last week, I got more than just an oil change. Waiting next to me was an an African-American pastor who peppered me with questions about the Jewish faith. Not to be outdone, I asked him what was his most inspiring religious experience.
"Funny you ask," he said. "I was just reminiscing about it the other day... It was back in 1976 and I was eating lunch with my soon-to-be wife, Barbara, when I heard a voice calling my name outside. I went outside, and not finding anyone, I came back in and returned to my bowl of beans. Then it happened a second time. This time I asked Barbara if she heard my name being called and she said yes. Running outside, I still did not see anyone as far as the eye could see.
"Then it hit me. I had just been reading the Book of Samuel in the Bible. In the third chapter G-d calls Samuel's name. Only Samuel hears this call and acts upon it, recognizing this as his 'calling' to begin his journey of becoming the great prophet of Israel. This must be MY call from the Lord!
"At the time I was a janitor in a church and I decided that the first step in my journey was to go back to school to get a better education. I enrolled in Tri-C for an undergrad degree, continued at Case for a graduate degree, and eventually got a doctorate from a Christian university. Finally, I became the pastor at the same church where I was the janitor before I heard my calling!"
As someone who considers himself mighty fortunate for having the opportunity to spend every day "living the dream," as my friend Grant would say, of pursuing my calling as a teacher and rabbi, it got me thinking. What does Judaism teach us these supposed divine shout-outs? We call out to Him in prayer, but is it possible that He would really call back to us? Of one thing I'm certain: If you really pay attention, you can hear G-d calling all the time. In the ordinary moments of life, perhaps? It probably would not sound like Charleton Heston in Cecil B. Demilles' "Ten Commandments," but if "it" is calling us OUT of our comfort zone, it just might be the real deal...!
