When Jesus calls a person...
Illustration
When Jesus calls a person to follow, it can come when the individual is least prepared. Consider Ambrose, who was destined to become one of Western Christianity's greatest churchmen.
The young man began his career not in the church but rather in government. The Roman emperor appointed Ambrose provincial governor of northern Italy, and assigned him to a residence at Milan. In the year A.D. 374 he was summoned to the local cathedral where a riot was about to break out between two rival Christian factions. Each group was intent on winning its own candidate's nomination for bishop.
As the emperor's good servant, Ambrose intervened and averted conflict. He even tried to assist in mediating the dispute as to which candidate should be elevated to the bishop's chair. Finally someone suggested Ambrose himself. The suggestion was quickly embraced on all sides.
Ambrose protested, in vain, that he was not even baptized. That did not dissuade the crowd. They had him baptized, then ordained, and finally consecrated a bishop -- all within the space of a single week. The call had come to him when he least expected it.
-- Sherer
The young man began his career not in the church but rather in government. The Roman emperor appointed Ambrose provincial governor of northern Italy, and assigned him to a residence at Milan. In the year A.D. 374 he was summoned to the local cathedral where a riot was about to break out between two rival Christian factions. Each group was intent on winning its own candidate's nomination for bishop.
As the emperor's good servant, Ambrose intervened and averted conflict. He even tried to assist in mediating the dispute as to which candidate should be elevated to the bishop's chair. Finally someone suggested Ambrose himself. The suggestion was quickly embraced on all sides.
Ambrose protested, in vain, that he was not even baptized. That did not dissuade the crowd. They had him baptized, then ordained, and finally consecrated a bishop -- all within the space of a single week. The call had come to him when he least expected it.
-- Sherer
