If you read my blog last week I wrote about how the church is made up of the people...not a building. This week I wanted to go a little deeper and try to explain more.
I help out when I can with Sunday morning Junior High classes. I've been working with the same bunch of young men for 2 years now. We try to teach them how to serve and what service looks like. My favorite example is always the pinky toe of God. If we are the body of Christ as mentioned in the book of 1st Corinthians then each of us has a role to play. Someone has to be the pinky toe of the body. So is this an important role? Let's talk about the importance of the pinky toe for a minute. The pinky toe, or the little toe, has a purpose: It affects your ability to balance. When you are walking, running or step onto an uneven surface, your foot deals with this by changing its orientation and its shape. All of your toes play a role in maintaining your balance, even though the pinky toe does not play the most important role. The little toe is not as critical as your other toes. You could get along without it, although you would have to adapt to the new configuration of your foot. Even though your body could still function without its pinky toe you'd need therapy to relearn how to walk and run. You may need a little therapy to get over how your foot looks without it too. So what would the role of the pinky toe look like on the body of God? How about a teachers helper? Not a crucial role but very helpful for the teachers in keeping the class on track and in control. I see this as kind of a stepping stone (nice play on words) to a bigger role in serving God.
In the past I've tried to become several things at once...that doesn't work too well. In a previous church my wife and I served in I filled the roles of Deacon, Trustee, Sunday School Teacher, Youth Sponsor, Worship Team member, Committee Chairperson, Chairman of the Board...all at the same time. Later I accepted a position as an Elder. I was what I like to call a "Professional Christian". Someone who thinks the more they serve the closer to God they'll become. If having more stress in your life makes you feel closer to God then have at it. Have you heard the 90/10 rule? Some people like to say 80/20 instead. This means that 90% of the work being done in the church is being performed by 10% of its members. I think the 90/10 is the most accurate, the 80/20 probably applies to smaller churches.
Here's a hard thought to swallow. God could do it without you. Do what you may ask... Grow His kingdom. God could do it all, He could plant the desire to worship Him into all mankind. How would you like to be a Christian Robot? God created us to worship Him, but, He also gave us free will. This means that we choose to love Him and obey Him. It tells us in Exodus 20 that God is a jealous God. Exodus 20 4-6 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments." I don't know about you, but a God who has the power to do anything He wants, command the wind to blow the grass in the fields and can speak a universe into existence deserves my praise and service. Who knows, maybe after a few years of being God's pinky toe I'll graduate to spleen.
Keep serving God, we are His hands and feet.
Peace...
totalheel
I help out when I can with Sunday morning Junior High classes. I've been working with the same bunch of young men for 2 years now. We try to teach them how to serve and what service looks like. My favorite example is always the pinky toe of God. If we are the body of Christ as mentioned in the book of 1st Corinthians then each of us has a role to play. Someone has to be the pinky toe of the body. So is this an important role? Let's talk about the importance of the pinky toe for a minute. The pinky toe, or the little toe, has a purpose: It affects your ability to balance. When you are walking, running or step onto an uneven surface, your foot deals with this by changing its orientation and its shape. All of your toes play a role in maintaining your balance, even though the pinky toe does not play the most important role. The little toe is not as critical as your other toes. You could get along without it, although you would have to adapt to the new configuration of your foot. Even though your body could still function without its pinky toe you'd need therapy to relearn how to walk and run. You may need a little therapy to get over how your foot looks without it too. So what would the role of the pinky toe look like on the body of God? How about a teachers helper? Not a crucial role but very helpful for the teachers in keeping the class on track and in control. I see this as kind of a stepping stone (nice play on words) to a bigger role in serving God.
In the past I've tried to become several things at once...that doesn't work too well. In a previous church my wife and I served in I filled the roles of Deacon, Trustee, Sunday School Teacher, Youth Sponsor, Worship Team member, Committee Chairperson, Chairman of the Board...all at the same time. Later I accepted a position as an Elder. I was what I like to call a "Professional Christian". Someone who thinks the more they serve the closer to God they'll become. If having more stress in your life makes you feel closer to God then have at it. Have you heard the 90/10 rule? Some people like to say 80/20 instead. This means that 90% of the work being done in the church is being performed by 10% of its members. I think the 90/10 is the most accurate, the 80/20 probably applies to smaller churches.
Here's a hard thought to swallow. God could do it without you. Do what you may ask... Grow His kingdom. God could do it all, He could plant the desire to worship Him into all mankind. How would you like to be a Christian Robot? God created us to worship Him, but, He also gave us free will. This means that we choose to love Him and obey Him. It tells us in Exodus 20 that God is a jealous God. Exodus 20 4-6 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments." I don't know about you, but a God who has the power to do anything He wants, command the wind to blow the grass in the fields and can speak a universe into existence deserves my praise and service. Who knows, maybe after a few years of being God's pinky toe I'll graduate to spleen.
Keep serving God, we are His hands and feet.
Peace...
totalheel
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