There is the legend of an ancient king who became weary of the complaints of his subjects. As always, there were many things to be done but each one seemed to feel that someone else should do them. Then, as now, they were always ready to say, “Let George do it!” To cure his people of this bad tendency, the king had a huge stone placed in the midst of a main thoroughfare leading into the city. All the travelers passed by it, grumbling and complaining that someone should move the stone. After a time, the king called his subjects together and showed them a bag of gold which had been placed under the stone for anyone willing to have moved it.
In the perpetuation of a church or congregation in any place there are many things to be done. We can nearly always see some things which are needful but are being neglected. It is easy to complain about these and continue to say, “Somebody ought to do it!”
The building in which we meet must be opened and later closed by someone. There are floors to be mopped and carpets to be vacuumed. There are chairs to be set up in the classrooms, the baptistery to be filled and kept ready for use. There are classes to be taught, songs to be led, communion trays to be prepared, etc., etc. There are also the sick and shut-ins that need our loving ministries, the visitors to our services to be called upon, funerals that require singers and grieving families who need our sympathetic attention, etc., etc. The foregoing along with other numerous good works are among the kindly series which require dedicated volunteers. There are generally too few for the many tasks. We can often see and even admit that “someone ought to do it!”
When the Lord said to Isaiah, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Isaiah immediately responded, “Here am I! Send me!
The church can use a lot more folks like Isaiah. So what is it that you see that needs to be given attention to? Do not make excuses, instead just get right in there and tackle the task with the best of your ability. Do you see someone doing it already, then ask them to allow you to help them with that task. It takes all of us to do the work of the church, what is your task?
Herschel Dyer
via Hooker church of Christ
Hooker, OK