I have heard this from as early an age as I can remember. It seemed clever and funny when I was young, but now I can see the relevancy of this question. As I get older and more involved in church and the processes involved in a ministry it seems to me that this question is actually quite necessary. There is also the old saying that 99 percent of the work is done by 5 percent of the people. I harp on this lack of involvement in the church a lot. I urge people to get involved. You don't have to do much to be involved but you must do something to be vested in your church.
When I was in the Navy the ship I was on crossed over the equator. There is a very old tradition for the old salts to run the new salts through an initiation of sorts. There were several on board that refused to do this as it would "demean them". I on the other hand felt that to criticize without actually doing it gave me no credibility.
This holds true in our churches as well. Piano players, singers, ushers, bus drivers, etc may not be doing it the way you like. They may not be "good" in your opinion. BUT they are doing something to glorify their God through the use of their time and talents.
D.L. Moody was converted through a shoe salesman. Billy Sunday was converted through a street preacher. These folks didn't have fame or glory but they have eternal rewards for being there doing what they could to serve and Glorify God. They made a huge investment by doing nothing more than what they could.
Psalm 100
King James Version (KJV)
1 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.
2 Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
3 Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
5 For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.
At what point does it say there God only hears the professional? it doesn't. God loves the singer and the intent not the performer or the performance. God sees the heart and the motive. That is what He measures by.
Luke 21
King James Version (KJV)
21 And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury.
2 And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites.
3 And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all:
4 For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.
Jesus commended this woman for giving so very little when it is all she had. The same point was made in another parable that it is far better to take a little and use it, as we shall be judged on what we have done with what we have, rather than what we have.
In the present day I have noticed that few of the folks in the church do much more than attend and go home. whereas there are some who are there all the time serving and doing what needs to be done. Snow does't shovel itself, bathrooms don't get cleaned by imps, bulletins don't print themselves, buses don't clean themselves etc... You get my point. And this is my point: Nothing is beneath you!! God gave His Son. What have you given to His church? your time? your pride? not to proud to scrub toilets are you? how about the flower displays-they need water. How about walking the elderly in during bad weather? Ok so you have a covered drive, so what? get out there and lend a hand makes them feel better and will make you feel good too even if help isn't needed.
The biggest blessing to be had is the blessing of serving. There is no feeling like helping, helping for no reason other than to be helping. I am a big proponent of the anonymous good deed. Doing it to do it and never letting folks know it was you. They got blessed and you will too. It is actually quite contagious. You will find a smile at the right time is also contagious.
You don't have to be a pastor, teacher, musician to bless or minister to folks. Minister to them as best you can. No good deed goes unnoticed, and it will make you a better person. Christ came as a servant to man.... Can we do any less?
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