When I was pastoring in South Carolina, I had a weekly play date on Thursday with my young daughter. One particular week as we pulled up to the park we noticed that there was a lady with a small group of children singing children’s worship music, doing a puppet show, and giving out sweets to all the kids at the playground. As we were leaving, I noticed that she was packing up. I asked her if she was with a church, and she said she was not with a church. Her church had recently had VBS and she had personally decided to minister to the kids at the local park by coming out every week to do a small ministry at the playground. As I watched this lady minister to these kids, God spoke to me and said, “She will never be on the cover of charisma magazine. She will never stand before the general assembly and receive the praises of man. But one day she will stand before my throne and hear the words: well done my good and faithful servant.”
As Christians, we are all part of one body: the body of Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:12 says, “There is one body, but it has many parts.” We are all part of this body, but each of us represents a different part. Every single person has a role to play in the kingdom of God. The world might make you think you have to be an “important person” to make a difference. But you don’t have to be important by the world’s standards to be an important part of God’s kingdom. A schoolteacher who is the only kind voice a child ever hears is a good and faithful servant. A parent who raises their children to know Christ is a good and faithful servant. A single mother who chooses to keep an unexpected child is a good and faithful servant. A person who shows up every week to teach a Sunday school class is a good and faithful servant. A choir member who shows up to every practice is a good and faithful servant. A waiter who does his job with joy is a good and faithful servant. A cashier who keeps a positive attitude with her customers is a good and faithful servant. You don’t have to do it all. You don’t have to be the best singer. You don’t have to speak eloquently. You don’t have to write a book. You don’t have to have a position of authority. You don’t have to preach to millions. You don’t have to travel the world. You just have to be faithful. And if you are faithful to God’s call, you also will one day hear the words “well done, my good and faithful servant.”
