And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. 3 Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” (Acts 6:2-4)
Sometimes we bite off more than we can chew. My wife and I once left a church not because the church kept asking us to do things but because we kept saying yes. Eventually, we were so overloaded; we had no time for the things God wanted us to do.
As Christians, we all want to serve our Lord. We hear a driving sermon encouraging us to do more and we start volunteering. But that may put us where God doesn’t want us. We need to be selective. It’s not that we need to do less for Christ. We need to do everything we’re called to do.
Sure there are lots of things we can do generally without a particular calling. Church clean up days, stacking chairs, greeting, ushers, directing cars in the parking lot are all things most everyone can handle and should if they are able and available. Unfortunately, though, the old saying that 20% of church members do 80% of the work is still true. So, the 20% take on more than they are called to do and get burned out or neglect their calling.
Bruce Wilkinson in his book “The Seven Laws of the Learner” tells a story of needing to fire a woman in his company who just wasn’t doing her job. He decided to let her “fire herself” by asking how her job was going. “Oh.” She said. “I love my job,” and she continued to tell Wilkinson all the things she had been doing. He said he wanted to give her a raise when she was finished, but none of what she listed was included in her job description.
Will we stand before God and share a list of the things we’ve done for Him, and see His list for us is very different? That is a constant concern of mine and should be of every Christian. I know where God has gifted me. I work happily doing that. He has called me to a ministry unique to me just as He has for you.
Why is this important?
We reach a point as Christians where we need to start evaluating the things we agree to do in church. We can’t just ask, “Is this something which will forward God’s kingdom,” and if it is, we volunteer without praying first. We need to pray. God has jobs for you, me, and for every other Christian. He may have someone else He wants to use in that job, but we are taking it away from that called person by volunteering. Doing so also takes time away from the job we’re called to do.
God has lots of places we can minister in His kingdom. Did you know, He has the roster for those positions filled? God has assigned individuals for particular jobs. These folks just may not be doing those jobs. God is waiting for them to listen to His call.
I may catch some heat from some of my pastor friends for this. They are sometimes desperate for a warm body, any warm body, to fill a particular position. But, I don’t believe that’s God’s plan. His HR department has all the jobs assigned. Do yours, and let others do theirs. If we do everyone else’s work, we will become weary in well doing and may even become bitter. If you’re weary, you may be taking on more than you are called to do.
So, like the apostles in Acts 6, we should spend our time doing what God has called us to do and leave the other tasks to those who are called to do those.
Believers Armed and Dangerous 