This past week, I had the incredible opportunity to spend six hours volunteering with this ministry that is so near to my heart. As I opened the plastic Manna Pack Rice bags and held it under a funnel as ingredients were poured inside, I was struck with the importance of every job along this assemble line. As my fingers and knuckles grew soar from tightly holding those Manna Pack Rice bags closed and sealing them with a vacuum sealer, I was struck with how incredible it is when the body of Christ works together. There are always jobs that seem more "glorious" to us for some reason - maybe it's scooping the ingredients into the funnel, or boxing up 36 bags of Manna Pack Rice in a box. But no job at FMSC is insignificant. As I dwelt upon this truth, I tried to imagine only four people labeling the bags, scooping the four different ingredients, holding the bags, weighing them, sealing them, and packing them. It would take so much more time -- and so many more children would go hungry.
Each job is critical. No job is insignificant. Not only at Feed My Starving Children, but in the body of Christ as a whole.
"For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot says, 'Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body', it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. And if the ear says, 'Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,' it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. If they were all one member, where would the body be? But now there are many members, but one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, 'I have no need of you'; or again the head to the feet, 'I have no need of you.' On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; and those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable. . ." - 1 Corinthians 12:14-23 (emphasis added)
Although it is easy for us to sometimes feel like the role we are playing in the kingdom is insignificant -- there are no insignificant roles in the body of Christ. Too often we focus on those we see publicly: pastors, teachers, leaders. But where would the body be without those who quietly invest in individual's lives? Where would the body be without those who spend hours in their prayer closet before the Lord each day? Where would the body be without those who encourage and support those in the public eye?
It is a beautiful thing when the body of Christ works together. May you and I be faithful in doing our parts. And through that faithful service to the Lord, may we impact the world for Him.
No comments:
Post a Comment