The Weekly Epistle 3/23/22

A man was hired to drive a school bus.  After being trained and learning his bus route, he was then on his own to pick up the children and bring them to school.  On his first day, he managed to complete his route and arrive at the school at the prescribed time, however, without any students.  His bus was empty.  When the school principal asked why he didn’t have any students, he admitted, “I never stopped to pick them up.”
    “And why didn’t you stop to pick them up?” inquired the angry principal.
    “Because” said the rookie bus driver, “I would have fallen behind in my schedule.”
 
Efficiency is not to be an end in itself.  Doing things right, meeting deadlines, completing tasks in a timely fashion are all decent goals, but they should not take the place of the call on our lives to reach people.  Our mission is all about people!  Yes, people complicate things, but they are the reason God leaves us here on earth after we are saved.  
 
When Jesus saw the crowds, he did not see them as obstacles in the way of where he wanted to be and what he wanted to do but was filled with compassion (Matthew 9:36).  Is that how I view crowds?  Is my heart gripped with compassion?  Do people get in the way of my agenda?  Like the bus driver, in what way have we focused more on getting a job done than on people who need to be reached for Christ?  
 
If you know me at all, I am all for doing things right.  If something is worth doing it is worth doing well.  Efficiency isn’t the enemy.  I am thankful for those who help things run smoothly here at church.  Much of what happens behind the scenes enhances our effectiveness.  Doing things right (efficiency) and doing the right things (effectiveness) are critical to our growth as a church and living out our mission.  
 
For example, movie night this Friday night, is an outreach event that takes many people with their different gifts to pull it off.  Setting up the movie, running the refreshment counter, greeting people as they arrive, having our security bases covered, some people sticking around after the movie to clean-up, and inviting people to the event are all working toward the same goal of reaching people with the gospel.  
 
My point is that we must always keep in focus that ministry is all about people.  Too many followers of Christ have been churchgoers for years yet stay clear from serving in the church because it is too messy.  There are some who have been busy in the church with everything from folding bulletins to teaching a class.  There are those who have counseled families and chaired meetings.  Those who have visited the sick and run major events.  Some who once loved the church struggle presently and have given up on the church.  
 
I do get that!  I almost gave up on the church once.  And after some time of hard personal reflection and “having it out with God,” it was brought to my attention that I had gradually surrendered my call to minister to people to being busy with lesser, yet still noble causes.  I had focused more on the work than on people.  It was no wonder that I was tired and bored with the church.  
 
“Do you love me?” Jesus asked Peter.  “Do you love me,” Jesus asks me.  “Do you love me,” Jesus asks you.  Then feed my sheep.  In small ways or in great ways, we must feed his sheep.  
 
What are you to do?  Pray?  Encourage someone?  Visit? Open up your home?  Lead?  Follow?  Serve your neighbor?  Give? Invite?  Whatever it is, we must feed his sheep.  Whatever comes next, it is about people!  Blessings, Pastor Brian