Regardless of the size of a factory, all workers have a common purpose, to put out the best product. It has little to do with the position of the worker, as they might be on the assembly line, in management or an engineer involved in design. Collectively, they work together to achieve a finished product. Whether a skilled laborer, someone who brings previous knowledge and experience to the position, or an unskilled laborer, someone who learns all necessary components while on the current job, all involved are integral parts of the finished product.
As Christians, we are all unskilled laborers, though God continues to give us on-the-job training. Every talent and ability that we have comes from Him! Though the human tendency is to look at Billy Graham and see him differently than the man steadfastly teaching Sunday school to the second-graders, the difference between those two men is not in natural talent, but in God-given calling. If size of ministry was a measuring factor in godliness, righteousness or significance, then how would we measure Jesus? Truly, how many people were following Him at the time of His crucifixion? Though one week before that pivotal event, Jesus rode from the Mount of Olives on a donkey and the mob hailed Him as King of the Jews. Within the week, the mob asked Pontius Pilate to release Barabbas, not the innocent Jesus. Other than John, His disciples all went into hiding, confused how it was possible that man could kill God! Certainly, they doubted. Yet including His closest friends and disciples, and the women brave enough to remain with Jesus at the cross, there were less than 20 followers. Does that make Joel Osteen, Rick Warren or Benny Hinn more important than Jesus?
16 Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
John 13:16-17
As Christians, God calls all of us to be laborers in the harvest. Some plant seeds, others water the seeds and others reap the crop, but none of those jobs is greater in importance. Though God called Moses to lead the children of Israel, it had nothing to do with the power of Moses. According to Exodus 3-4, Moses had no confidence. He gave God seven excuses why he should not be the one in that position, including a problem with stuttering. Yet God chose Moses specifically. Our Lord also placed a support team beside Moses:
8 Now Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim. 9 And Moses said to Joshua, “Choose us some men and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand.” 10 So Joshua did as Moses said to him, and fought with Amalek. And Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 And so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. 12 But Moses’ hands became heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. 13 So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.
Exodus 17:8-13
God could have won this battle without Moses, and did not need Aaron, Hur or Joshua either. In fact, God did not need the army to lift a hand. Yet God involves us in His processes. That involvement increases our faith! When Jesus walked on this earth, He did not do the baptizing, but called His disciples to perform that task (John 4:2)! It does not matter if the rod of God is in your hand, nor does it matter if you help others to raise it. Some cannot even see those holding up the rod, as they are involved on the front lines of the battle. Wherever God has called you to be is the perfect place, but He does not call us to sit on the couch, believing that we have no talents or abilities that He can use. Step out in faith and get involved in serving Him! Ministry to family comes first, but no matter how busy we are in our careers, God desires for us to be involved in His harvest!
Then He said to them, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.
Luke 10:2
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