Prepackaged

“You were born prepacked.  God looked at your entire life, determined your assignment, and gave you the tools to do the job.”

                --“Grace for the Moment” Devotion Vol. II by Max Lucado

 Many of my friends and family know that this chick does not cook.  Well, I do manage to throw a few dinners together that pass inspection of those individuals who must eat them.  Cooking from scratch like my mom or grandmothers did drives me crazy.  Just what is “a pinch of this and a dash of that?”  Personally, I like prepackage foods.  The flour, sugar, baking soda, etc are all included in the package.    All I have to do is just open the box or bag, mix with water or milk and cook. 

While I was having my quiet time the other day, I ran across the quote above by Max Lucado.  I almost laughed out loud until I let the thought sink in.  I never thought about being “prepacked” for ministry.

Hmm, what is in my package that makes me uniquely designed for the role of a minister’s wife?  I came up with four items.

 

A.       Salvation

I cannot do anything for Christ without His saving grace. 

 

B.       Compassion

I ooze with compassion.  This is one of my spiritual gifts.  If you cry, I cry.  If you are happy, so do I.  If a missionary tells their story at church, I cry and am ready to go on the mission field.  My family even laughs at me because I cry at dog food commercials.

 

C.       Mercy

I tend to give mercy (another spiritual give that goes hand and hand with compassion) to people who really do not deserve it.  Let’s face it.  In ministry there are many people who are just plain mean.  Human nature would lash back at these people.  However, Jesus “turned the other cheek.”  I may not like the other person but I do try to find one thing to like about them and work from there to show mercy.

 

D.      Service

I believe this is my strongest ingredient for making me geared toward ministry.  I am not one who likes to be in front of people working.  I like the behind the scenes, dirty work.  For example, when we are cleaning up after a church fellowship, look for me at the kitchen sink washing dishes.  Since I am not a great cook, I can at least wash the dishes.  (Many times a person will come up to me and tell me that I should not be washing dishes because I am the pastor’s wife.  My response – I should be washing the dishes because I am the pastor’s wife.

Jesus taught that we should follow His example in ministering to the hurting, the poor, etc.  How can we expect our congregations to do the work of the Lord if we are not willing to get our hands dirty (or wet).  When you tell a person with the gift of service that they should not do such and such, you are killing their God given gift.

 

If I take these four ingredients and mix them with God’s leading, I am quite prepared for His work in ministry.

 

So ladies, what is in your package to make you prepared for God’s work in ministry?