Is It Enough To Serve?

Rebekah L. Holt

Written October 2008

Each October, across the nation, a handful of Christians take a united stand for one hour along major highways holding signs that read: "Abortion Kills Children," "Adoption- The Loving Option," "Jesus Forgives and Saves," etc.

The reactions of our community are vast and varied.  Many motorists drive by with grim, statue-like faces.  Others honk their horns, give "thumbs up," clap or stop to say 'Thank You."  However, there always is a minority of individuals that shout angrily "I want abortion" and chant while passing "Pro-choice, pro-choice, pro-choice" or make profane gestures. 

It has been said in our community that the main stream churches consider abortion too much of a "controversial issue" to support the Life Chain.   Therefore, Life Chain supporters in our town were about 100-150 people but our city has thousands of church attendees.    

It is a sobering hour which passes quickly.  It just doesn't seem like enough. 

How can one hour possibly matter in fighting for the sanctity of human life? 

Yet, as I stood there holding my sign against the wind, many mothers drove by with their young children reading the signs.  I could read their lips, "Mom what's abortion."  Young women and men soberly drove by with their eyes following our billboards.

The "little things" may be the very inspiration needed to "create" an issue for someone else and cause others to seek out good answers.  Someone has to make the statement and create the question. If our small group of sign holders were not willing to make a public statement, then the hundreds of motorists with license plates from all over the United States would not have read that "Abortion kills children."

Elisabeth Elliot wrote:

'If you believe in a God who controls the big things, you have to believe in a God who controls the little things.  It is we, of course, to whom things look "little" or "big."' (Let Me Be a Woman, p. 18) 

It should be enough for the serious Christian to roll up his/her sleeves and serve in menial tasks.   

Many Christians today forget that Christ Jesus, as the exalted Son of God knowing fully well Who He was, humbled Himself to learn the trade of a carpenter and labored physically at the tasks of a servant.  

How many times has the "small man's service" been overlooked or considered worthless compared to that of the foreign missionary or other members of a ministry?  How many times have we excused ourselves from doing something that we consider "beneath" us?  How many times have we refused to serve where we are needed? 

"My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.  And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.  For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things." 1 John 3:18-20

Christ's example should challenge us.  He met people at their needs.  He fed them, cooked for them, helped them in their daily grind and cared for their ills.  He even wept with them. 

This is not a popular message, however, it is a timely one.  Our nation/world needs workers to gather the harvest.  While it is important to have dedicated people in ministry and foreign missions "hacking through the forests,” it is just as important for all of Christ's followers to consider their lives, their jobs, their everyday occurrences as unto the Lord. 

Roll up those sleeves and get busy doing the Lord’s purposes, which first, is living and serving faithfully in the small tasks that we might prove faithful in the greater.  While you may not consider your present work of any merit in Christendom, God does.  Who better to value and weigh the worth? 

“His lord said unto him,” Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord….For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:  Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. `Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?  Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?

 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. “ Matthew 25:23; 35-40

Children are a blessing