Two men are inept in areas of public leadership. Neither is particularly talented in leading singing, preaching, teaching Bible classes, or fulfilling other roles that are so essential to effective worship periods. Both have tried, but their inabilities in such realms are apparent, to themselves and to others. But while they share this limitation, their attitudes differ dramatically.
The first man draws back into a shell, manifesting all the symptoms of an inferiority and persecution complex. He feels that he does not belong and that others do not appreciate him. He does nothing for the benefit of the Lord’s cause except to attend. He rarely visits the sick or speaks or writes to a visitor or invites a newcomer into his home. “Can’t” becomes the prevailing word in his vocabulary. He complains because “only a few are running things.”
The second man, recognizing his obvious inabilities in leadership roles, looks around for other areas in which he can be helpful. He volunteers to keep the grass mowed around the building and to see that the building is opened early at every service. He’s there to extend a warm greeting to the first arrivals. This is typical of his attitude. He’s constantly observing a need and is working in his own quiet way to take care of that need. No other man in the church is more active in the work than he.
The first man struggles to be faithful. His feelings are so easily hurt. Every lesson that deals with greater diligence in the Lord’s service, he’s sure is preached directly with him in mind. He doesn’t like himself and his attitude is a barrier to good and close relationships with others.
The second man is appreciated by all who know him. His influence is great. He is perfectly suited to the work of a deacon. His death will leave a void in the church that no one man will be able to fill.
The difference in these two men can be seen in Ecclesiastes 9:10: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might.” What the second man has and the first man lacks is vision to see what needs to be done (his hand finds something to do) and mighty initiative to do it. These two qualities enable the one to be happy, busy, useful, pleasant, influential; a lack of them leaves the other miserable, limited, sensitive, and stifled by self-pity and a lack of self-confidence.
Let each person find his own role, work diligently in that role, and rejoice in the contribution he can make to the welfare of the Lord’s work.
Bill Hall
