As I have read again this morning Jeremiah 1, certain truth grows clearer. It seems as though God’s call on a life, his deepest call, may not be expressed externally in a clear recognizable form. God may draw one into the role of prophet, but from the external appearance he/she may be thought of differently by others. This reminds me of my thinking about genius.
Genius is rarely recognized by the public. It is recognized most in the stereotypical images of the past. The fuzzy hair and the idiosyncrasies of Einstein are signals of genius. But those with the greatest genius may express it in fields that are not typically associated with the concept.
They may be business leaders. They may apply their genius in such a way as to keep from being thought of as geniuses. They may know that to do so would hinder their work with other people. It might even intimidate other people.
I suspect the most intense geniuses of our time will likely never be recognized for this quality. I use this example only to draw parallels with God’s intense call as it is expressed internally, and as it is expressed externally (through the perception of the public).
