Looking for Opportunities for Ministry – but Getting Crazy Guy Instead

Posted by Conrad on 09.14.10 in Devotionals.

So this Saturday I had to get some plumbing fixed and I always try to be friendly and talk to repair people because you never know when you might be able to minister to someone.  But sometimes it backfires, because sometimes you think you’re talking to Joe the Plumber and you get Joe the Conspiracy Theorist.

Little did I know what I was getting into…

Here’s two examples of what the plumber would go on long tirades about…

  1. The Queen of England, the Vatican, and the guy who owns the Swiss banks pretty much run the world.  Including funding wars because nations can’t afford to go to war themselves.
  2. Jimmy Carter is a nuclear expert.  (Who knew?)  And when the multinational banks were putting the electrical infrastructure into the Philippines they didn’t follow Jimmy Carter’s advice, but rather they made sure that the infrastructure didn’t work, so that the Philippines would keep having to pour money into it.  And about 80% of the Philippine GDP goes to go to pay it.

Okay, so the only thing that was going on in my head as he ranted was, “Is God opening a door for ministry here?”

Okay, that probably wasn’t going on the only thing going through my head.  But the only non-sinful thing that didn’t include words, like “crazy or weirdo.”

So I could just sit there and listen to him and show love and patience and not respond, but then he would end a particular section of a rant with, “You know what I mean?”

Um… can you give me a sec on that one while I think about what the spiritually right way to respond is?

Okay, how do I not lie to this guy and say, “Yeah” because that would be a sin because I don’t really agree with him.

But then I don’t want to disagree with him because maybe that’d start an argument and that might not be showing love – and also he might just repeat everything again, possibly with new evidence, and then maybe he’ll kill me.  And getting myself killed probably isn’t the spiritually best way to respond.

So I said, “Yeah.”

But anyways, the whole point though is that we need to be looking for opportunities to minister.

If you aren’t, then the one person who God sends your way who might need encouragement that day, or needs someone to listen to them, doesn’t get the ministry they needed because you just weren’t looking.

God opens doors, and we need to go keep an eye out for those doors or we’ll miss them.

So when you’re making small talk with your family, classmates, coworkers, repair people, cashier, see if there’s ministry there.

Maybe they need someone to listen to them.  Maybe they just need to know someone is praying for them.  Maybe you need to lay groundwork by being friendly so that when something does come up in their life, they might turn to you.  Maybe they just need an encouraging word.

Look for instances of ministry, even with strangers, that’s the way we can actively love people.

Unless it’s the Queen of England.  Then you might just want to run.

HEB 13:1 Keep on loving each other as brothers. [2] Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.

MT 25:37 “Then the righteous will answer him, `Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? [38] When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? [39] When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

MT 25:40 “The King will reply, `I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’

Take Time To Pray: Ask God to help you have an attitude of ministry.  One where you are actively looking for opportunities that God presents.

Today’s Fruit of the Spirit: Love.  Loving those close to us as well as strangers.