It's not what you do...

It's not what you do, it's what you do with what you do.

It's been eight months since I wrote on this blog. Since then I have changed careers, moved back to a new state, sold a house, and experienced a host of other changes along the way.

I remember the Sunday I stood before my church family in Rochester to annouce that we were leaving to move back home. As I shared with them that I would also be making a career move, one of the thoughts I shared was that you don't have to get a paycheck from a church to be a minister.

It had been over fifteen years since I had either been in school for a Bible degree or working full-time for a church. What would it look like to not be working at a church? I had not been a Christian that long before going into full-time ministry, so I did not have a lot of experience in this realm. For years I had taught and preached about making your faith a part of your every day life. I had encouraged students and adults alike to live out their faith at their schools, their jobs, and other places they go. Now it was my turn to "practice what I preach."

The last eight months have been filled with opportunities to minister. Have I taken advantage of every opportunity? No. But, I witnessed God placing so many opportunities before me to impact others and spread the Kingdom and I have strived to be faithful to my calling.

Whether it's been praying with someone who lost a family member, serving the middle schoolers at our church, providing groceries for those in need, serving family, or simply spending time listening to someone who needed to talk, God has given me so many chances to make a difference.

And this takes me back to where I started this post: It's not what you do, it's what you do with what you do.

God will call some people into full-time ministry, some for a lifetime and others for a season. But all of us, every person who is a Christian is called to be a minister. Regardless of where you get your paycheck from, your purpose comes from God.

Do you get paid to run a company? If so, treat your employees with grace, compassion, and mercy.

Do you get paid to be secretary? Make sure that every person you talk to leaves your desk knowing that at least one person will treat them with honor.

Do you get paid to be a cashier at a department store? Find a way to compliment each customer and go the extra mile to serve them.

I could go on and on, but the point is this. God has called every believer to be a minister. Regardless of what you do, find ways to be an ambassador for the Kingdom in every circumstance.

shine!
Jason