Ministry

So often we think of ministry as a profession - a paid job - a career. We tend to compartmentalize our lives into home/work/leisure/church and not see the big picture where those 'compartments' overlap one another and all contribute to 'who' we are and 'what' we do.

I want to ask you to consider the life of Jesus. He grew up in the home of his parents, trained under his father Joseph and became a carpenter. At 30 he left home and began his 'ministry.' That ministry involved walking around and teaching and then 3 years later dying on a cross.

I would submit to you that every part of his life was ministry - not just the 3 years of teaching and not just the dying on the cross. His early life - though noticeably unwritten about - is summed up in "he grew in favor with God and man." That means he was doing what he was supposed to be doing. Are you? Am I?

Ministry is 24/7. It is present in your home as you take care of what God has given you however grand or humble it may be. It is in the care of your children and/or spouse as you make home a safe place to grow and develop and to learn of authority, kingdom principles and love. It is present in your workplace as you practice ethics, kindness, fairness and loyalty. It is present in your leisure as your character is revealed in your competitiveness and your choice of activities. It is present in your church life for it is here that all four areas seamlessly unite to give back to God the praise that is due Him.

I don't want to take anything away from those who have gone to seminary and are called to pastor BUT I think perhaps too much has been taken away from those of us who are called servant by the Most High God. We have abdicated our unique positions of being the hands and feet of Christ to those who are 'paid' to do it and mistakenly bought into the notion that we don't really have an impact on kingdom work because we're not 'on staff' somewhere.

That is dangerous and shallow thinking. We are the called and set apart. I don't think that means like being 'set' on a shelf. I think it means that everything we do has an impact. Every place we go is holy ground. Every word we say has eternal significance. We are ministers.

And we will be paid. Maybe not ever on this planet but for sure in heaven. I don't know how God will do it or what it will look like. I don't really care. He is fair and just and my/our job is to walk with Him day by day doing what He has set before us. That way we are right in the center of His will - ministering.

Whatever you put your hand to - do it with all diligence. For the audience of One.