WHY NOT DO WHAT WE ENJOY?

            Think back to a time when you had a job to do that you really disliked.  Maybe it was doing your taxes.  Perhaps it was a cleaning chore of some kind.  Maybe you were called on to speak in public.  For each one of us, the tasks we dread doing will be different. 
            The same is true of the things we like to do.  Do you enjoy being around a lot of people or would you rather spend more time alone or in a small group?  Do you like to work with your hands?  Would you prefer being surrounded by books or by tools?  Do you like to cook?  Do you enjoy creating works of art (painting, drawing, pottery, knitting, etc.)?  Each one of us has certain tasks that we would rather do than anything else.  They give us pleasure and provide an opportunity to put a little of ourselves in our work.
            What does this have to do with the Church or with our faith journeys?  What if each one of us could serve God by doing the very things we most enjoyed?  Why can’t we?  If I like to study and teach others about what I have learned, why shouldn’t I?  There are many ways God could use my interests and abilities.  If you like to sing or play a musical instrument, there certainly are many opportunities to serve God through music.
            Teaching and music are too areas which are often associated with Christian service.  What about other activities which may not often be considered?  What if you like to cook?  Aside from congregational fellowship gatherings, there may be other ways to serve.  Persons who have just returned from the hospital might appreciate a few hot meals that they don’t have to cook.  Others among us who barely know how to boil water might like to learn some of the basics of cooking.  This could be a form of outreach and ministry that you may have never considered.
            Do you like to tell stories?  There are probably many children who would love to hear them.  Maybe you don’t tell stories so well, but you can read with good expression.  Once again, many children would welcome someone who would spend time reading to them.  In immigrant families where English is not the first language, hearing stories read in English will help develop language proficiency.
            Maybe you aren’t the best at reading to kids, but you like being around them.  You enjoy playing games and spending time with them.  You could offer to baby sit for a parent who is struggling to keep everything together. 
            Are you a good listener?  Many people have no one to talk to.  They long for someone who will just take some time to hear them.  They aren’t looking for you to solve their problems; they just want to be heard, to feel like what they matter.
            Lately, I have been talking with several persons in the congregation about ministry – what it is, what it should look like, how to do it.  If we are serious about carrying out the Great Commandment – loving God and loving neighbor – we can do this by doing those things we enjoy, those things we do best.  In so doing, we could be powerful witnesses to God’s love – in our homes, schools, workplaces, and neighborhoods.  Life is too short to get bogged down doing things we dread out of a sense of obligation.  Life as a follower of Jesus can be a life filled with joy.  We could take a big step by doing for others and for God those things which bring us joy.
Peace,
Pastor Bill