I was at my doctor's office yesterday waiting for my name to be called. I'm not sick. It was time to see him so I could keep getting my medicines filled at the drugstore and I needed malaria medicine for our mission trip to Africa in November.
While I was sitting there a young woman was talking really loudly to herself. Well, that's what it looked like anyway. Actually she had one of the ear devices that allowed her to talk on the phone to a real person but she just looked like she was carrying on a conversation with no one in particular.
I tried not to eavesdrop into her lively discourse by reading my book but between sentences I heard, "Africa. Clean water. It's all for the children. We have $X00,000 for the project. Yes. It's all about the children. Aren't you excited, Sam? Yes. Africa...mission... search... contact...village...wells...clean water...etc." There was no way I could have avoided hearing her half of the conversation. She was loud!
After she said good bye, I kept thinking I should mention our mission trip to her and that we should talk. But I didn't do it. Instead I considered all the tidbits I'd heard. Was she Christian or just part of a philanthropic organization? Where in Africa was she planning to put wells? She sounded experienced and very professional on her topic but I also thought that she didn't look like much more than a teen and how could she be in charge of such a large project? As I think about it all now I realize that I could have known all this right from her own words if I'd stretched myself just a little bit and initiated conversation with her.
And, to give you a glimpse into my skeptical self, I wondered how much of her enthusiasm and volume was for the benefit of the waiting room audience? I thought about my personality and how I would never have put my whole conversation 'out there' for the world to hear as she did. It's just not something I'd do.
The young woman was called back to see the doc and soon, so was I. That was the end of it. Right? Nope. In the examination room, the doc asked me where we were going on our mission trip this time. He is a Christian and is always interested in the details of our trips with the church. I told him about Equatorial Guinea and how long we were going to be gone. He mentioned the young woman and her life and the well project. She and her husband have two natural children and they have recently adopted a baby from Uganda. Their clean water project is in the same country and that they hope to someday be missionaries there.
My immediate thought was that her open and enthusiastic personality will serve her well in the mission field. The Lord really knows who needs to be where and puts them in the perfect place with their perfect job. Then I thought about the scripture I'd been reading just the day before.
6 In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. 7 If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. 8 If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly...Romans 12:6-8.
Although it's never profitable, it is a normal thing to compare ourselves with others and that's what I did that day in the waiting room. I am not a young wife and mother with three children, one adopted from Africa, and looking to spend my life on the mission field. I am not skilled in directing large projects for wells in Uganda. I am even too shy to use one of the ear phone devices. But, it's OK. The Lord made the young woman in the waiting room and gave her specific talents which she's using for Him in a great way.
And, by God's grace, so am I.
How great is it that we can take the things we love to do and are good at and use them for the Lord's work. How wonderful that I don't have to have someone else's gift or talent--and she doesn't have to have mine!
As the Lord's children, we all have the same purpose--to tell others about Jesus and what He has done for us--but we each also have a God-given unique way to accomplish the Lord's purpose. It means that comparisons to my sisters in the Lord are useless. It means that I can serve the Lord in the way He's designed for me and that more perfectly fits my bent--and so can you! Knowing this removes the self-imposed expectations about keeping up with anyone else. What we do well, we do for Him. There's no pressure from the Lord to be someone we are not. We can serve Him enthusiastically and without reservation.
The Lord thinks of everything for our good!
Lord, you are so wonderful and creative and encouraging to us. You tell us to, "Go. Do what you're good at doing and do it for Me." Thank you, Father for the young woman I saw in the waiting room the other day. Bless her and her family's lives to work for you. Guide them. Guide us. I appreciate you so much, Lord. I love you.
Suz
1 comment:
Suzanne,
Loved your blog and you are so right, God does use us all in different ways, yet for His glory. Thanks for sharing the story and your transparency is so refreshing. No pretense.
Missions is the heartbeat of God. Whether it's portrayed loudly or in a quiet gentle way as long as Christ is glorified, it's all good. Yielded vessels are what He is looking for through which to pour His grace.
Again, thanks for sharing this wonderful message.
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