RACEWALKING! I recently learnt that word. I knew the sport, but I never really knew the name. It’s actually one of the long distance athletic events at the Olympics. It’s that sport, in which the people walk in a rather comical manner. The winner of the race gets a gold medal, which has the same value as the gold medal won by the winner of the 100m race. Very few people actually know anything about the sport and an even less number of people would actually aspire to become racewalkers.
This same scenario plays out in the church today, where more people aspire to be engaged in the more ‘visible’ services and possess the spiritual gifts that place them in public view. The erroneous belief is that the more visible or seemingly impactful you are, the more valuable you are to God and the more important you are to the church. In fact, this is not a problem that started with the new generation Christians. Paul saw it in the Corinthian church and he wrote in 1Corinthians 12:
14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body…17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? … 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
As small as the toe nail of the smallest toe is, if it is hurting, the whole body will not operate optimally. Every gift and ministry is essential for the wellbeing of the body of Christ. I believe that if you have been called to be a toilet cleaner in the church and you do it effectively, you are fulfilling your ministry. The same way the pastor who preaches every Sunday and during the mid-week service is fulfilling his own ministry. Can you imagine how wonderful the service would be if the toilets are running over, the seats are dirty and the whole auditorium is decorated with different grades of dirt.
I remember the name Hur being mentioned in the Bible only once, when he held up the hand of Moses with Aaron. He fulfilled his ministry, because by his service the people of Israel won the battle. Whatever God has called you to do, Occupy Till He Comes. People don’t have to notice you for God to notice you. He sees you even when you are fulfilling that ‘lowly’ service. Your reward surely awaits you.
Chidi Ukandu's Blog 