Do you feel like God has a huge calling on your life?
Well, He does. Without a doubt, He does.
Whatever you are called to, you will impact this world for Heaven’s sake and for Love’s sake. You will make a difference.
I believe God gave us a diverse set of gifts. And each of us can find her niche and do her part.
So, how do I get from sitting in front of my beat up computer to running a major company? Or how do I get from cleaning dirty toilets for a living to healing the sick?
The simple answer is baby steps.
Baby Steps
Stay where you are and do the little things God tells you along the way. Serve in small, seemingly insignificant ways as well as big ways.
Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much… (Luke 16:10)
My oldest is always saying, “I can’t wait until I’m a grownup.”
“Honey, if you want to be a grownup you need to be able to brush your teeth and flush the toilet every morning without being asked.”
“But brushing my teeth is so annoying.”
I get it girl. Laundry is annoying. Crouching down on all fours, swiping up the floor after every meal you and your sisters eat is annoying.
But in a family there are little things we do to keep it afloat. Little things we don’t love.
Inglorious things.
Chores we aren’t necessarily gifted in. Tasks we know others can do better.
Chores
Sunday mornings we arrive early to lay down the sponge mats, erect the gates and splay out toys for the pop-up-nursery. This day was my turn on the rotation.
I wrangle my kids to church, already sweaty and prickling with frustration before service starts. I barely smile when the first baby passes over the gate and into my arms. Working in the nursery doesn’t recharge me or inspire me. It only feels like work.
“Do What You Love”, they say.
Honestly, I’d rather be stretched out on my face in a room somewhere praying for the service. Like I said before, I’m not particularly gifted with kids. My kids learned their colors from TV, and I struggle to develop a consistent homework routine.
So I wouldn’t be my top choice to serve in the nursery.
But I can snuggle the babies and comfort them so weary moms and dad’s can enjoy service. I can do that.
The Nursery Needs You
I started working in the nursery years ago because the church I attended needed nursery workers. Later, I heard messages encouraging us to, “Serve another man’s vision. God will promote you to pursue your own.” And, “Be faithful in the little because God will give you what you crave.”
These statements are true, but they can also pander to selfish ambition.
Two months ago, I bargained with God. “Don’t you think it’s time for me to graduate to the prayer team. I worked in nursery on and off for 20 years. I want to pray before the service. I enjoy it. I get to hang out with You, and listen to Your voice. What do you think?” Well, my cute prayer didn’t get a quick reply from God.
In the meantime, as I waited for His answer, I responded to a growing desire to join the prayer team. Consequently, I took a 5 week hiatus from the nursery. When I didn’t hear a clear instruction from Him to quit the nursery, I returned and stayed on both teams.
As it turns out, His non-answer was His answer.
Family
This week as I spread out the colorful cushioned squares, I remembered family. In a family its not about me, its about us.
In a family we all have chores. Moms with PhD’s still clean up spilled milk and snuggle their babies to bed at night. CEOs by day, dads still cook dinner in the evenings. Kids clean up their toys and clear the table.
Families serve each other. We do annoying things anyway. We connect and give and serve the people we love and live with. Selfless service builds connectivity no matter what our skill set.
As a church family we give back, not to feel needed or accepted, but to serve. We serve, not to stretch ourselves to the point of exhaustion, but to model sacrifice. We serve and sacrifice not to manipulate the system to serve our vision and promote our gifts, but to build up the whole church family.
From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. (Ephesians 4:16)
We serve for the benefit of other families and others’ callings. We serve for the greater good.
For My People
I believe the saying, Do What You Love. I also believe, Do What Love Does.
Serving our family improves our connectedness, yet it doesn’t diminish our individuality or our unique purpose.
Sometimes I get caught up looking for creative places to grow and employ my gifts. God promises our gifts will make room for themselves. (Proverbs 18:16) But connecting to family takes sacrifice and turning outside our self-serving motivations or self-preservation instincts.
Sometimes all we need to say is, “Hey pastor where is there a need?” or “Mom, how can I help?”
Some day we will raise the dead. In the meantime, we can find a dirty bathroom and clean it. One day we will preach in front of crowds. Today let’s practice preaching love to a little one in the nursery.
Start there. Take is as an opportunity to grow in humility. To grow family.
Leave a Reply