A place to come home to
By CHERYL CRUCE
From my earliest memory, the church has been a mainstay in my life. Somewhere between the recall of my childhood and present-day church, I have left behind the daisy shortbread cookies and red cool-aid of the Sunday School class. However, the lessons taught have remained with me through the years and have become the core of my faith.
As a child, I enjoyed the stories of the Old Testament and the coloring pages that came with each. Noah’s Ark and the Parting of the Red Sea were favored among the classes. Then there were the New Testament lessons on the miracles of Jesus. Tales of how He walked on water, fed the multitudes, healed the sick, and loved the children were easy to listen to. It was not until I was much older that I realized the comfort they brought to my life.
There is something else I only understood once I was much older. In my formative years, I never grasped the inner workings of the church. There are so many hands that make the church work like little gears in a well-oiled machine. Deacons, ushers, and elders all work in their areas of leadership. There are hospitality, visitation, and Bible study groups. Many teachers spend hours preparing lessons to share with the people. The greeters, cleaners, musicians, and administrators all add to the health of the Body of Christ.
The church is the Body of Christ, with each member being called for a specific task. There is no one person more significant than the other. The head cannot tell the feet they are unnecessary, nor can the eye tell the hand to leave. The parts of the body that seem weaker are still indispensable; if one looks less honorable, they are still honored by God. It is God that has called the Body to be one. If one part of the Body of Christ hurts, the entire body hurts (1 Corinthians 12). We indeed need each other to be complete.
Over the years, I have had many jobs within the church. Initially, I enjoyed the behind-the-scenes work, and then gradually, God started pulling me forward into other areas. I have worked as a server, a drama leader, a teacher, and now as a pastor. The reality is that each task was a learning place for the next opportunity. Every opportunity increased my faith as God supplied the ability needed. My faith grew because of my works, and my works increased because of my faith. Faith and works go hand in hand when led by the Lord.
What work are you being called to? You may be the teacher that leads a child to salvation. What if you are the greeter that welcomes someone in for the first time, and they come back because of your warm smile? Every church needs a song, a server, and a person like you to complete its purpose. I am sure somewhere deep in your being is a special gift God has given you, just waiting to be used. God gives each man a measure of faith (Romans 12:3), but it is up to man to grow the faith.
We are the Body of Christ, and it is time to become who we are created to be. The world needs to know there is a place to come home to.
1 Peter 4:8 and10:8 Above all, love each other deeply because love covers over a multitude of sins. 10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.
Cheryl Mixon-Cruce is Pastor of Ochlockonee Bay United Methodist Church and Sopchoppy United Methodist Church.