Those who know me well, they know that I often react to things a little late. Especially when it involves matters of the heart, my heart, my life.
The other day, in a simple conversation, someone said that Hillary Clinton wants to be president of United States because she wants to make her name go down in history and become the very first woman president. Something inside of me did not agree with this at all – it disturbed me. But I had no comment, as I needed to reflect and go deeper to find out why was this bothersome.
Today, after spending some time to catch my breath I had my AHA moment towards this comment on a personal level.
When I adhered to the Call of God to go into ministry twelve years ago, my aim was not, “O, I am going to be the first Armenian Woman Ordained minister within the United Church of Canada”; no, not at all. I was more focused on becoming the servant leader that God was calling me to be; Not a diva to go in history..
By Faith I took a chance to go back to school for six years, Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall, non-stop; and an eight-month internship took place in between; followed by two-month ministry as a student. I never thought anything about being the “First” – It did not even cross my mind. After two full years of rejecting God’s Call (2002 – 2004), I gave in and submitted myself to the CALL that was loud and clear in front of me, in Summer of 2004. January 2005, the path to ministry begun with the educational requirements.
The One who called me, equipped me and ordained me to this service also made the ordination day extra special. On the 93rd Anniversary of the Armenian Independence Day (Saturday, May 28, 2011) I was ordained through the Montreal-Ottawa Conference of the United Church of Canada, into this ministry. We know this is for sure a First for United Church of Canada to have, some people think I might even be the first ordained female minister in Canada… But that is not the aim… My aim was to obey the Call. I did not choose the date of the Conference, nor the date for the Celebration of Ministry – I had no idea, no plans and no say… And those who had said, I am a woman and I should not go into ordained ministry, had no choice but be present at the ordination. Not by Might, Not by Power, but by my spirit says the Lord. (Zechariah 4:6)
Why do I think it is important for me to share this with you?
Because some of us still have a problem to see others break barriers and leave footprints where no other person has been before. Like my Tupperware distributor always said, “We are not competing against each other, we are attempting to break our own records – we are in competition with ourselves.” This applies not only in Tupperware or PartyLite sales, which I excelled in both, but it applies to LIFE.
So friends, be of good cheer to see change happening in this world. May we always see the good in everything and make everything good, like it was at the time of creation where the Creator said after each completed task, “It is Good”.
Thanks be to the ONE who gives us Grace Upon Grace and encourages us to grow and be co-creators and transform this world with our Actions of Love – to Serve Others. Amen.