Paul, an apostle—[special messenger appointed and commissioned and sent out] not from [any body of] men nor by or through any man, but by and through Jesus Christ (the Messiah) and God the Father, Who raised Him from among the dead… – Galatians 1:1, Amplified Bible (AMP)

When God gives us a call, we don’t need the permission of men to pursue it. Sure, it’s encouraging to have other people behind us when we embark on our journey of service, but we shouldn’t wait on the approval of others before we depart. God’s approval is all that we need; we just need to make sure that our message and our actions are in line with His commandments.

In Acts 10, God called Peter to bring the Gospel to the Gentile home of Cornelius the centurion. In Acts 11, Peter’s Jewish friends chided with him over the matter. As Acts 11:2-3 (AMP) reports:

² So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcision party [certain Jewish Christians] found fault with him [separating themselves from him in a hostile spirit, opposing and disputing and contending with him],

³ Saying, Why did you go to uncircumcised men and [even] eat with them?

After Peter related the entire story of how God had called him to preach to the Gentiles, his Jewish counterparts understood that Peter’s actions were ordained of God, and they got behind him in his efforts to preach to the Gentiles. But, what if Peter’s friends had never gotten on board with what Peter did? It would not have mattered in God’s eyes. God Himself had instructed Peter to visit Cornelius’ house, and Peter’s duty was to obey, no matter what other people might think.

There may very well be times when God instructs you to do something that no one else agrees with. If, however, you are sure that God would have you to do that thing, then go for it, for obeying God is so much more important than pleasing man. Before you leap, however, just make sure you’ve properly vetted (checked something out carefully to make sure it is acceptable) your call. In other words, make sure your call doesn’t even remotely contradict God’s biblical truths and precepts. Make sure you’ve prayed earnestly for God to give you heavenly wisdom about the matter; you don’t want human wisdom tainting your efforts to discern His will. Search the scriptures diligently until Christ greatly moves and burns your heart with a passion to do the work you believe your are called to do. When you’ve done all of these things – and once God makes it clear beyond a shadow of a doubt that it’s time to make your move – then move, giving God the glory, no matter what man may think.