We are working right now to plan a family vacation for this summer. That may not sound difficult, but it is. With summer camps, VBS, tight schedules and booked resorts, we are having trouble setting a vacation date. We want to take a vacation that includes everyone, that will allow us as a family to spend time together and have a lot of fun in that special bonding time.
Last summer our plans got scrapped...4 times and 4 vacation plans. What we ended up with was much less of a vacation than we had hoped. I guess that is what is making me a bit anxious in the planning process. I need to include everyone and if it doesn't work out that everyone can go, then the vacation will be empty somehow, or at least not as complete as the dream. It's difficult when one part is missing or at least, it's not as enjoyable. My family is important to me, obviously. Our time together is precious and growing ever more as my kids grow older because that time is shorter than ever. So our plans together are important and when we are all together, it's a blast.
And so is the church.
When we are all together, working in our own ways, fulfilling our roles, doing our jobs, ministry and activities at the church are the best! There is nothing any more satisifying than a successful event at the church. It means that we have fulfilled our purpose, shared Christ in the most complete way, worked together hand in hand and had fun doing it. Service to the Kingdom of
God sates the very deepest desires of our hearts, whether we recognize it or not. And when we do it in tandem, all together, like a well-oiled machine, the fun-factor goes off the chart.
Just the term, servant, doesn't sound very important, but when you put all servants together, then you see the whole picture. Some don't like the idea of being a servant because it sounds demeaning or unimportant. But I like how Paul described it to the Corinthian church,
"I want you to think how all this makes you more significant, not less." (1 Cor. 12:14, The Message) When you play your servant role, you are a critical part of a greater system that can produce much more that one or two can alone. You become more important because you are a critical link, a piece of the puzzle, perform a special function, a part of the family.
"For no matter how significant you are, it is only because of what you are a part of." (1 Cor. 12:19b, The Message)
You are a part of the family of God and when you are missing in our work together, we all miss out, so do those whom we serve and so does God. Service to the Kingdom isn't about simply performing or using our skill, but about doing it along with others, utilizing your own specialty alongside someone else's unique specialty. And when you are not sharing in your part, it's like a family vacation without the whole family. Everyone misses out on the fun it could be.
Peace ><>
PC
2 comments:
What matters most with the vacation..even when plans go awry or the vacation just isn't what was planned is that fact that you are all together as a family. We learned that from the Griswald family...although I do hope that the Nunley Summer Vacation will run more smoothly than the Griswald's...but all the same...we can learn from Clark and his bunch! :-)
It is indeed a good sign when a Church seems to become a well oiled machine. When we serve shoulder to shoulder with those of spiritual gifts that compliment one another, amazing things are bound to happen. I have recently reaffirmed the importance of using these gifts in service to others.
To take a more serious tone... It is the potential consequences of us not using them that is shattering to think about. I do not mean only on a personal level, but to those we let down.
I've never taken selfless-service lightly because of this reasoning.
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