Can I help?
Genesis 1: 27-28 (NIV)
God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them…and said to them, ‘be fruitful…fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over…every living creature that moves on the ground.’
I love cooking and baking - it’s my creative outlet, my space to dream and craft. Almost every time I begin, within a nanosecond, I hear a little voice asking, ‘Can I help?’. The only snag is, I’m a massive control freak, my 2 and 4-year-olds don’t exactly follow instructions! So, we embark on this dance where I pretend to let them ‘help’, all the while being extremely prescriptive about what they can and can’t do.
When it comes to building God’s Kingdom here in Birmingham, we can often encounter the opposite problem. God has entrusted each of us with a mandate, an instruction, and the authority to be co-workers with him. Yet so often, we can forget that we are here to make a difference in partnership with God.
Sometimes, the difference is big, such as the influence a Christian CEO has to shape the culture of an organisation; sometimes, it’s smaller, like displaying love and grace to that co-worker we find challenging. But it’s a difference, nonetheless.
I love the story of JF Kennedy's visit to NASA. He encountered the janitor in the hallway and enquired about his role. With a smile, the janitor replied, ‘I send people to space’. The janitor had a profound sense of purpose, understanding that no matter how small his part, it was both necessary and significant to the mission.
I wonder how you view your daily decisions, encounters, and actions. Are they a seemingly random collection of insignificant and irrelevant happenings? Or, perhaps, are they all opportunities for you to witness Heaven manifesting today, even in the smallest ways?
You have the authority and agency to make godly decisions, to extend grace in your interactions, to express love in your care for others. The question is, will you?
Prayer – Lord, help me to go into this day believing you have sent me. Give me the courage to stand up for justice, the compassion to give to those who need it, and the integrity to make good choices. Help me see that all my actions play a part in building your Kingdom.