You Are in the Ministry!

Our competence comes from God. He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant - not of the letter [of the Law] but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
(2 Corinthians 3:5b-6, NIV)

While most of you have probably never pictured yourself as a preacher, have you ever considered that our Lord considers each believer to be a "minister"? Let me repeat that, the Lord God who made you considers you to be a "minister".

How is it that an ordinary person like me becomes a "minister"? First, the meaning behind the Greek word "diakonos", translated in this text as "minister", means a servant - one who serves others. So our "ministry" in Christ is one of servanthood. Only through the love that Jesus Christ showed us can we hope to understand, much less exercise, this same kind of love towards others. For as the Apostle John said:

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

(1 John 3:16-18, NIV)

We become "ministers" as we reach out beyond the selfish confines of our own thoughts and our own desires and put the needs of others first. Look around in these areas and see if there is anyone in your sphere of influence that can benefit from your servanthood:

Spouse
Children
Extended Family
Friends
Work Associates
Church

Do you know anyone who needs comfort, support, strength, friendship, a willing hand, a patient ear, or even physical needs such as food, clothing, or shelter? It doesn't take long to find many situations where people are in need. Certainly, consider your immediate family and children the top priority. Be sure you spend the time with them required to insure their spiritual, emotional, physical, and intellectual development. For as we read in Malachi, the purpose of a family is to raise "godly offspring" - to pass on the knowledge of God from one generation to the next.

I read a startling survey of Dads which showed that the average time the Dad thought he spent with his kids each day (on the average) was 15-20 minutes. In a controlled survey, replete with monitors on the young children, it was confirmed that the average time Dad spent with his kids was 37 seconds daily. We cannot raise "godly offspring" in this way. We simply must clear aside time, stop working the overtime, stop getting too busy, and minister to our family, friends, and to all those in need. This is indeed a glorious ministry, working together through the power of God's Holy Spirit.