On Duty

By Samantha Rodriguez

“This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading: ‘He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth. In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.’ The eunuch asked Philip, ‘Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?’ Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.” Acts 8:32–35 (NIV)

Have you ever been “on call” or “on duty” for something? If you’ve answered yes, it most likely means you’ve had a job that required you to be on duty. 

I recently began to experience this as a Resident Assistant at my college, Palm Beach Atlantic University. Being an RA comes with many responsibilities, one of those being on the on duty schedule. When we’re on duty, we hold the “on duty phone” which is a cute little handy-dandy flip phone. When we get called, we must answer and respond. Additionally, we sit at the front desk from 7-9pm and intentionally look out for residents who may need help or have questions.

I was reminded of this as I read today’s passage. Philip dedicated his life to serving God, and that’s what led him to the eunuch in the first place—his willingness to be “on duty” for the Lord. He didn’t just see it as a responsibility or even as a burden, rather he saw it as a blessing and a calling. Because of this, he was ready to act upon the Holy Spirit’s leading in that moment. He intentionally sought the Spirit’s leading with the desire to obey. 

Even though it may be scary speaking to a stranger not knowing their culture, their story, or perhaps even their language, God wants to use us, through the empowerment of His Holy Spirit, to lead others to Himself. Philip did this by being aware of his role, willing to sacrifice his comfort, and being obedient to his Lord, much like what someone who is on duty may have to do. 

Needless to say, being on duty is very important; however, there is an element of urgency and responsibility that is always held in my mind as an RA. I don’t just ignore certain situations or mind my own business if I’m not the RA on duty. I know when and how I must speak and act because I’m not just an RA when I am on duty, and we’re not just Christ followers when it’s Sunday or when it seems more obvious to be “Christian.” 

Following Jesus means everything we do, in every area of our lives, must ultimately point others to Him. We must always be ready to share the truth of the gospel and the grace of Jesus with others, whether we feel called to ministry or not. We’re all ambassadors for Christ which means we can all view ourselves as being “on duty” in a sense, and that’s actually a beautiful and exciting honor we get as a result of God’s mercy! Therefore, I pray we would boldly usher those around us into God’s kingdom in the way we actively seek to make His name known. 

Pause: Have you experienced something similar to being “on duty” or “on call” before? What was that like? How can you relate it to being an ambassador for Christ like Philip?

Practice: Take on the mindset of responsibility and honor today and allow it to impact how you have conversations with others, whether they’re your family, friends, or even strangers! 

Pray: Lord, I don’t want to miss out on an opportunity to make Your name known because of fear or ignorance. Open my ears and heart to hear and sense Your Holy Spirit’s urging. Grant me boldness and excitement to be obedient. Help me to view my identity as Your ambassador in the same way one might view their responsibility of being on call at their job. I want to be ready to respond and share Your truth with others at all times! Amen.