| I Kings 3:2-4:34; Acts 6:1-15; Psalm 126:1-6; Proverbs 16:26-27
“Then the Twelve summoned the whole company of the disciples and said, ‘It would not be right for us to give up preaching about God to wait on tables. Therefore, brothers, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and wisdom, whom we can appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the preaching ministry. The proposal pleased the whole company.” (Acts 6:2-5a)
At first glance the Apostles seem a bit arrogant stating that they couldn’t come away from preaching the Word to wait on tables, but if you look at the Body of Christ as a whole you will see that different people have different roles. Like the physical body, an eye doesn’t function like an ear, neither was the preacher designed to function like the deacon. They are both important parts, however, they serve two distinct purposes.
While serving people is every bit as important as preaching the Word, if everyone were “waiting tables” then who would do the preaching, and vice versa. The Apostles and the other believers knew their God, understood their roles and had no problem operating in their area. Also note they didn’t just pull people out of the blue to be leaders. There was a process. The freedom was given to the people to choose respected, Spirit-filled people from amongst themselves to ensure these duties were taken care of.
It is of the utmost importance that the needs of God’s people be met. Those of us in the Body of Christ must step up and fulfill our call. If we will all do our part then no one will fall through the cracks and the Body will continue to grow and be blessed for our efforts. So whether you’re preaching the Word or serving tables, know that your direction is from the Lord so do what you do with all of your heart to the best of your ability. Satisfaction in life comes from knowing your place and doing it well with contentment.
PRAYER:
Lord, help me to know where I fit and to not be jealous of other people. I pray to be content in my assignment and to fulfill it to the best of my ability. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen. |
