There has never been a long line to apply for the job of Prophet. It’s hard work. It’s risky. Several new books are out now about our need for 21st century prophets, people with the character, commitment and courage of an Amos or an Isaiah of the Hebrew Scriptures. In faith history, a prophet is not a fortuneteller, not a predictor of things to come. A genuine prophet is a voice of the present moment, a commentator on very contemporary matters. And, spiritual prophets speak what they believe to be the message of God. They address subjects like justice, mercy, fairness and commitment to something greater and more profound than one’s own self-interest. Want to apply?
Take a moment and look up Matthew 10 in the New Testament. Jesus speaks: anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward. And that raises the question: what is a prophet’s reward; how big is the paycheck? And the answer is “0”. If you want payment for being a prophetic voice about human values, you’re in the wrong line. Prophets speak truth to power, mercy to revenge, and generosity to greed because they are compelled, not because they are compensated.
The need for true prophetic voices is great, but the application line is short. Speak your own mind all you want to, but don’t call it prophecy. Name the issues of the day, but sometimes that is not much more than complaining. Prophets don’t start with their own opinions; they know the heart of God and they shine that light on the shadows of the day.
So, step right up. Inspired by the touch of God’s Spirit, faithful to what we proclaim we believe, conscious of the consequences, and expecting nothing in return, you can be a voice in the wilderness of our contemporary chaos. Speak for God. Say what you know to be true from the message of Christ Jesus. Stand up. Speak up. And…sign up. The line is just over there. It’s the short one.
Footnote: When and where can you reveal the heart of God today? You.
Shining Spirit 
In all I do.