The High Calling of Being a Radio DJ
The other night I was at a fundraiser for one of my favorite local ministries. The event was emceed by a DJ from the local country music station.
The evening was going well, despite a few screw-ups by the DJ. He mispronounced the honoree’s name. He messed up the order of service. But he could laugh at himself, and we laughed right along with him.
The keynote speaker talked about finding your “authentic swing” (a “Legend of Bagger Vance” reference) in terms of your career. The night’s honoree had found his calling in medicine and used it to help villagers in rural Mexico.
Then, the DJ got up to speak.
Have you ever seen a man hold onto the edge of a podium, as if he’s physically trying to keep the tears from falling? Well, that’s what the DJ was doing. Finally, he pulled himself together.
He said he’s been a DJ since he was 14. He’d never wanted to do anything else. But lately he’d been wondering if that was really God’s will for him, just playing songs on the radio. Not even Christian songs–country songs.
Then, at a recent funeral, a woman came up to him and said, “My father was sick for nine months. He couldn’t get out of bed. But he looked forward to the four hours a day of your radio show. That’s what he lived for, right up until the end.”
The high calling of your daily work doesn’t have to be spiritual. This country music DJ is good at his job. He impacts lives.
And he can rock a fundraiser.
Sabbath Says | Comments (14)14 Responses to “The High Calling of Being a Radio DJ”
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Awesome. Never underestimate the power and reach of your work.
Ahh…to know your calling and live it out. THAT is a gift!
I had an appliance repairman, who must have been ninety years old , come to my house this week and I was so grateful for his skill and his craft. I wonder if there are still those out there who view appliance repair as noble work and good, who are willing to use those skills to be a blessing to others. Great post. Glad Brad tweeted it.
I love this post, Megan! I couldn’t agree more!
GREAT post, Megan. My favorite part: The image of him gripping that podium.
And yes! This is a high calling. If it honors God, it’s a high calling. Period.
could it be…. maybe …. that just saying ‘yeah, come right on by!!’ to a sister-in-law and her new husband [both circa 80 somethings] and serving wine, Black Tea, and conversation, laughing, and hugs…. is serving in a small part? We were honored they would drop by and they seemed to leave comfortable, happy, and feeling blessed. Thank you for helping me keep life in perspective.
Megan – This is such a beautiful post. This reminds me so much of some of the people I encountered this week, people who were doing their job to the glory of God. Love this!
I linked here for there and back again! YOU do good work. (Just a few more weeks til LL!)
Wow, what a great reminder. I bet that’s an experience the DJ will never forget.
The thing that hits me is how many people that DJ touched without knowing it. Here he was going through life, wondering if he had accomplished anything worthwhile in the world. All it took was one small note of encouragement to light up his life.
This is a truly great story, Megan — I simply love it.
We don’t always know when we are making a difference, do we? I try to hold on to that when I feel discouraged–in my work, in life in general. It’s easy to question if I am living God’s best for me. Great story, Megan. I wanted to thank you for your encouragement and prayers for my son. We are heading in to high school in a few days and I’m having trouble letting go of the fear. Giving it to Him. Over and over and over.
I find this so refreshing! I am a strong supporter that not everything we do has to be so deep and thought provoking but just by doing, and doing good, we show others Christ.
I love that the DJ is so real.
So many times we serve God without knowing it, and he gets all the glory. Sometimes, when he knows we need the encouragement, we get to hear about it.
It’s like that Christa Wells song that starts out, “You’re gonna cry yourself to sleep,” about a woman sharing her heart with a friend being overheard by a man who needed that message and the crying woman never knows.
Oh, God is good!
Hey megan… featured you here.
http://www.thehighcalling.org/hcb-community/high-calling-being-radio-dj
And will be in the weekly newsletter on Thursday