The Headline Act

Rob is a Mission Support Developer with the Diocese of Birmingham.

Romans 12:1-2 (MSG)
So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: take your everyday, ordinary life - your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life - and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

Over the course of several years, I have been privileged to serve at numerous Christian events and summer festivals. Picture it: crowds of people arriving, setting up, immersing themselves in worship and teaching, and, hopefully, leaving reinvigorated and refreshed.

Now, here’s the interesting part: many of these attendees rave about the worship -'Brilliant!'  And those talks? 'Profound', they say. But sometimes, perhaps unintentionally, we end up putting the spotlight on the singers or teachers, turning them into the ‘stars’ of the show. Jesus, however, flips the script. He reminds us that true greatness in God’s kingdom lies in being a servant to all. Yet, we still tend to glorify the visible roles.

Let's not forget the unsung heroes—the ones unblocking toilets, fixing plumbing, cooking for the team, looking after kids, and directing people. Ever notice how quickly things grind to a halt when these acts of service aren’t fulfilled? They’re the gears that keep the whole machine running smoothly.

So, here’s my encouragement for you today: whatever you’re doing, do it for the Lord. If you’re a teacher, teach as if you’re doing it directly for him. If you’re a singer, belt out those notes for the Lord. If your gig involves emptying bins, delivering Uber Eats or changing nappies, do it with a heart tuned to the divine. 

Forget measuring success by status or position; instead, measure it by your relationship with the Father. Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, drives this point home. We’re all recipients of grace, which means everything we produce - the fruit of our efforts - is infused with that grace. And guess what? You, my friend, are a unique product of the Father’s grace at work within you. That’s downright amazing! So, consider yourself the headline act - always. 

Prayer – Father, I want to thank you for your work in me. Even when I don’t see it or feel it, you are working your grace through me, touching others. Help me to remember this as I move though today.