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Pointers along the way #122

Our unique role
- Jacob Ninan

We all have heard about Billy Graham whom God has used in turning thousands of people to Him. But how many of us have heard about the person who was used to turn Billy Graham to the Lord? Hardly any. But just think what a crucial role this person had to play in the conversion of these thousands!

Humanly speaking, we all would like to be like Billy Graham - eminent, well known, recognised, appreciated, 'successful', etc. But such people are very rare in the kingdom of God. The kingdom is made of millions or 'ordinary' people like us who are carrying out our roles, most of the time without even recognising how important and crucial our role is in the master plan of God.

The Bible tells us not to make great plans for ourselves (Je.45:5). The greatest 'achievemnt' we can aspire for is to fit in with God's plan for us. Nothing else we can plan can be greater or better. It is the devil who tells us that if we seek to do God's will we may end up losing all fun in life, He might take us through terrible hardships, etc. The devil is a liar. We must trust God to make the best possible plan for us because He loves us, understands us, and knows us perfectly, and He has all wisdom and power to make things happen for us.

God has not made anyone else who is just like us. The parents from whom we grew up, the experiences of our life, our particular temperament and abilities, and the circumstances in which we find ourselves have uniquely shaped us to be what we are, and we are just the person God can use to do some particular task in His kingdom. No one else can do what we can do. This is not an expression of pride, but a recognition of how God has moulded us. We are not superior to anyone else but we are unique (1Co.4:7).

Perhaps we imagine that what an apostle, prophet or pastor does is more important than what we do. We assume it is a mark of humility to think that we are nobodies in God's kingdom. But that's not correct. When an apostle does what he is asked to do, and we do what we are asked to do, both of us are just carrying out our tasks! The one who plants and the one who waters are equal! (1Co.3:7,8). It is God who gets the glory, and our reward is for carrying out our tasks faithfully. There are differences of authorities in the church. Certainly some offices in the church have authority over others. But all members are equally valuable to God.

We are, each of us, incomparable! Isn't it foolish for us to compare ourselves with others? Just think. If God, with whom there is no partiality (Acts.10:34), created one person with certain abilities and another with other abilities, isn't it only because He had different tasks for these two persons?

Let us stop trying to be like or to be greater than someone else. Let us rejoice in the special way God has created us and the special task He has entrusted to us, and seek to be faithful with that.

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