When I went to seminary to train to be a pastor, I was met with several surprises.

I think I expected all of the students to look like monks or something. Instead, I saw students who were tall and skinny, and some who were short and fat. I saw guys running around in T-shirts throwing footballs, and I saw egg-heads with wire-rimmed glasses carrying briefcases. Suddenly, it was as if God spoke to me and said, “Bob, I’ve got a great variety of churches out there, and I have called all of these different people to serve my different churches.”

Some things at the seminary remained the same, however. There was a lady who worked in the registrar’s office, who had been there since the time of Noah and the flood. When I met her, she remembered the days when my father was a student at the same seminary, and I was a little toddler living with my parents in the apartment above her. She said I would take my mother’s shoes out to the balcony and throw them off the balcony.

I told one of my friends what she said, and he replied, “That’s nothing! I was in line to register and when she saw my name she told everybody in line that she used to change my diapers!”

Soon after we arrived on campus, one of the administrators made a speech about following God’s purpose. If we were studying to be pastors, he recommended getting the M.Div. degree (Master of Divinity). If we were studying for youth or education ministry, he recommended the M.R.E. (Masters of Religious Education), and for music ministers he recommended the M.C.M. (Masters of Church Music).

He told us that one young lady came to the seminary, and told him that God had called her to be a pastor’s wife. She was looking for her Mrs. degree! Sure enough, after a few weeks, he saw her holding hands with a young ministerial student, and the next year, they were married. She knew her purpose and went after it.

All four gospels record that Jesus was constantly calling people, saying “follow Me!” (Matthew 4:19; 8:22; 9:9; 19:21; Mark 1:17; 2:14; Luke 5:27; 9:59; 18:22; John 1:43; 21:19) God has a purpose for everybody’s life, and not all are the same. The Mrs. degree is just as important as the M.Div. degree. Jesus is calling you to something. Are you answering His call?

(Copyright 2010 by Bob Rogers. Read this column each Friday for a mix of religion and humor. For more “Holy Humor,” go to the Web site of First Baptist Church of Rincon at www.fbcrincon.com.)