Jane walked into church and greeted a few friends before she walked down the ailse and sat down in the same pew she had been sitting in for the past 23 years. She closed her eyes while she listened to the organ prelude before the service. The music softly drifted away and the minister stepped forward to greet the congregation. “Welcome everyone, it is so good to see you all here this morning. First of all I have a few announcements. I want to thank Mrs. Greene for agreeing to teaching our youngsters. I also want to thank Elder Tipton for volunteering to speak the weeks I will be gone due to my upcoming surgery. In the meantime we still have the position of Choir Director to be filled, if you can sing please contact the office this next week.”
Jane sighed. She wished God had called her to do something. But she couldn’t sing, little ones got on her nerves and as for public speaking….well that was definitely out of the question. She guessed God had called her to be a pew warmer. Somebody had to do it. She looked around at all the other people in church. God seemed to have called a lot of pew warmers…..well they couldn’t all lead the choir. Her mind wandered during the sermon, those drapes sure were getting faded from the sun, why didn’t somebody see about replacing them, it made the church seem so run down. She rewound her morning and remembered the weeds in the flower bed in front of the church, somebody should be pulling them up. She brought her mind back to the current annoucement and wondered who would step forward to take the Choir Director position. She hoped it wouldn’t be Mrs. Downs, that woman just couldn’t quite stay on key, but she sure loved to sing. She snapped out of her reverie as she noticed everyone standing for the closing song.
Jane made her way through the crowd towards the door. The new Children’s Teacher touched her on the shoulder, “Excuse me Jane, I know that you sew, do you suppose you could make some new costumes for the children’s Christmas play coming up in a few months?” Jane didn’t know what to say, that would take up so much time, she thought wildly for an excuse, “Uhhhhm, I can’t right now, my sewing machine just broke down and it’s in the shop, so sorry.” As Jane got in her car and drove home she contemplated finding another church to attend, one that didn’t have so many problems finding people who wanted to do things. She pulled up in her drive way and while walking up the side-walk stopped to pull a few weeds from her flower garden.
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15
For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 10:45