Of this church I was made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on me for your benefit, so that I might fully carry out the preaching of the word of God...
Colossians 1:25
The letter to the Colossian church has challenged me so much
this week! Here we read the prayer-soaked, heartfelt words of a man who had
given his life, and his freedom, to see others reconciled with God! What a
resume, what a legacy Paul had. And yet, He speaks to the people from the
standpoint of a peer, calling himself, humbly, a minister. That word may sound
like a title, but it really just means a simple servant, one carrying out
orders.
This got me thinking. Sometimes I get so overwhelmed, or
even high minded, believing I must make this grand gesture for Christ. It has
to be super visible, I have to see immediate results, it has to be this
jaw-dropping show-stopping, dramatic thing to matter. And truly, Jesus is so,
so very worthy of that. But that’s not necessarily what He’s asking of us,
friends. We are all called to minister in different ways, and all are
important. We don’t have to look at someone else’s contribution and get
overwhelmed and paralyzed. All God is asking for is a willingness to say yes…in
the big things, sure. But also in the small, unseen, every day mundane life
stuff too. And the truth is…it’s all those little decisions and gestures add up
to a life that will absolutely make a giant impact for the Kingdom.
So here’s the question, and the challenge. Are you really a “minister”
of the Gospel? And I don’t mean have you found a way to make your humongous
mark on the world. I mean today, are you committed to serving the Gospel? To doing
what you can, where you are, with what God has given you to proclaim Him? To
practice what He values? Whatever comes your way today, I pray you commit to
partner with Him in it to demonstrate what it is to have peace and purpose in
Him. Happy ministering, friends…
Blessings!
