ministry

I have been thinking about what ministry means a lot lately. I don't think it's my own idea, I'm sure I heard it from someone else, but one of the best definitions of ministry I have ever heard and hold to the most is to simply meet the needs of others. I love it because it is different for every person you come in contact with. For one it might be giving them a coat for the winter, for another, words of encouragement, and yet another being the only form of love they recieve. 

When Jesus did ministry, he always met needs first. Jesus healed, then many believed. He fed, then they believed. He died, he rose, then they believed. Jesus understood humanity, because he was human. He knew in order to save souls he must first deal with the present in one's life. I strive to meet the needs of the individual. 

I don't feel like my ministry is teaching and for the longest time, I wanted it to be so bad. However, over the past few years I have come to understand that I can do ministry by being what someone else needs me to be for them. And now, I am excited to be just that! Jesus will do the rest.

simple act of giving

There is a student where I work, one of my buddies, who has always impressed me. I recall the first time I met him, noticing a crack in his glasses running down the middle of his left eye (can you imagine basically being cross-eyed in one eye?). He's never complained or even acted like his glasses bothered him. No, he just deals with it. His mom raises him, his brothers, and sisters by herself and works hard to support them, but I don't guess a new pair of glasses are feasible...until today! Our trainer was instructed by the head football coach to take him to the eye doctor, get a new prescription, and to buy him any pair of glasses he wanted.

He could have taken him to Wal-Mart and gotten a free pair of frames from the lion's club or asked a booster member to help out or just acted like he didn't notice. But, he wanted to give! Coach S understands the joy of giving! It seemed so natural to him. He definitely did not do it for recognition and made sure those were really the glasses the kid wanted, because he thought the price was low (they are not cheap).

And oh man, was this student excited! I've never seen the kid smile this way as he explained what his new NIKE glasses are going to look like when he picks them up tomorrow! Complete joy!

I don't have a great story from biblical literature to inner tie with this story, but I did see Jesus through Coach S! He showed love to this kid for no reason, except for to love him. And I don't know anyone more deserving.

I can't wait to see T's new glasses tomorrow...

the word, alive

These words came alive to me in my bedroom last night! I have noticed over the past year or two that the message really compliments my bible reading. To be real honest, I haven't been reading much lately and have been feeling very apathetic. However, last night I suddenly got the urge to read and picked up where I had left off from a couple of weeks ago. This really spoke to me about not being given up on and how God's word is not bound to jail, my bedroom, or simply words being on a page. These words reassured me how alive my God and his word is!

Fix this picture firmly in your mind: Jesus, descended from the line of David, raised from the dead. It's what you've heard from me all along. It's what I'm sitting in jail for right now, but God's Word isn't in jail! That's why I stick it out here so that everyone God calls will get in on the salvation of Christ in all its glory. This is a sure thing:

If we die with him, we'll live with him;
If we stick it out with him, we'll rule with him;
If we turn our backs on him, he'll turn his back on us;
If we give up on him, he does not give up--
for there's no way he can be false to himself.

2 Timothy 2:8-13 (message)

please share with me your thoughts