Many years ago, when I made the decision to go to Wycliffe College and study for a ThD there, my father, who was doing extremely well as an electrical engineer, was asked by one of his friends, who was a believer, about what I was doing. My father told him and then added, "there is no money in theology"! About three years ago, this man to whom my father said those remarks, conveyed them to me when I was teaching at Muskoka Baptist Conference one summer's night. From the point of view of my father then, I could have done much better for myself in another field. Recently, someone whom I love dearly (not my wife!) said much the same to me: I should have gone into a university setting where I could have made the double the amount of money. This was my response then and still is now: I was called in February of 1974 by the Lord Jesus to serve his people and he has yet to rescind that call. And I love the Lord Jesus Christ more than anything this world has to offer--and its offers are very attractive--but he is sweeter than all of his creation and it affords the deepest joy to live for him.
More recently I have thought of Paul's statement in 2 Cor 11:28-9, a word that has been much with me in recent days: when an apostolic prayer/burden like that is given, it cannot, without serious spiritual risk, be ignored.