Good Morning Everyone,
Our theme for this month: “Confidence”
Our Bible verse for today: “Therefore, brothers, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and wisdom, who we can appoint to this duty.” Acts 6:3 (HCSB)
Our thought for today: “It takes confidence to serve humbly.”
Soon we will be celebrating Easter. For many people Easter, like at Thanksgiving and Christmas, there is an extra emphasis on serving others – especially those in great need.
This Easter, since we’re also gearing-up for another election cycle, we will soon be seeing stories on the television news of high profile politicians with their sleeves rolled up, on the serving line at a Rescue Mission, serving dinner to homeless people. At best these scenes remind us of the importance of service. At worst it’s a staged photo op for a politician trolling for votes. They’re doing it for the attention it gets them.
However in the scene described in Acts 6:3 we find another standard for service. In this case there were widows in the early church who needed special attention. The Apostles were concerned about it, but tending to that need themselves took them away from their primary roles of prayer and preaching and teaching. So they needed dependable men to assume responsibility for ensuring the widows were properly cared for.
Now look at the qualifications they felt were necessary for those who would fulfill this ministry role of mercy and compassion. They were to be of good reputation, full of the Spirit, and wise. As we read on we come to realize that each of these godly men could probably just as easily have filled the role of Apostle, or preacher or teacher or elder. But instead they gladly assumed the responsibility of distributing food to widows.
I personally believe it takes spiritual maturity and confidence for a person to serve in a low profile ministry and to do it humbly, joyfully, and with a commitment to excellence. People like that serve in those ministry positions, and with that attitude, out of great love for the Lord and for His people. Such servants are a joy and a blessing to any church.
As a pastor I am very thankful for the faithful saints who serve in the multitude of low profile, but essential, ministry positions in the church. Without their service the church will be very ineffective. The widows would go hungry, the children would not be cared for, and the Pastor would be a worn-out wreck. Thanks for all you do!
God Bless,
Pastor Jim
Oak Hill Baptist Church 