After caring for my toddler granddaughter yesterday, I drove on the way home to a grocery store in Waterford. As I walked toward the front doors, a voice grabbed my attention. “Excuse me sir. Could you spare any change please?” He was a young man who looked somewhat disheveled and literally was smoking the butt of a cigarette. So, I stopped and talked with him. He said his name was Tommy and the story was that he used to work construction, but he’s now unemployed, and suffering a serious health issue. True? I don’t know, but all I saw was a young man who needed to experience Jesus, His love, and compassion. I told him I didn’t have much cash but gave it to him anyway. We stood there talking for a while as he shared his heart. He thanked me and then asked if I’d remember him in prayer; to which I replied, “Let me pray with you now.” I think that must have surprised him as I laid a hand on his shoulder in front of the supermarket and went before the throne of God in prayer. When we said “Amen,” the young guy seemed genuinely moved as I handed him the cash that I had from my pocket.
There are many hurting people with real needs all around us every single day. May we ask God for the spiritual sensitivity and compassion to recognize and act upon ministering to those needs as the Spirit leads.
Some people mistakenly say, “Hey preacher, I’m not a minister.” I disagree. You might not be called fulltime into the fivefold ministry, but if you’re a follower of Jesus Christ, you certainly are a minister in your sphere of influence,
What is ministry? It is tangibly meeting the needs of people; spirit, soul, body, financially, and socially. It is telling another what Jesus has done in your life, and how He can do the same for them. The very nature of ministry is having your life routine “interrupted” in order to be a blessing; being Jesus’ hands extended to another who desperately needs that love at that moment. It’s those “divine appointments” where the Holy Spirit brings you and another person(s) together in order to manifest and lavish His love upon that hurting one, and upon you, His minister in that moment.
Be blessed, dear one, and be a blessing.
