While I was in the military if we weren’t actually involved in the “real thing” we were practicing for the “real thing.” On this occasion, it was a planned fire drill, with three aircraft in the hanger.
Everything was ready; a small smoldering fire had been set in a steel bucket, and the inspectors were standing by, to observe and of course, grade the squadron’s response.
Well, the fire drill didn’t go quite as expected – the reason, Shaky Jenkins saw the smoldering bucket and put the fire out. He just happened to be walking by the smoldering bucket drinking a Coke, in a bottle, put his thumb on the top shook it up, and then sprayed it in the bucket, kicked it with his foot resprayed it, and walked on. The fire was out!!
This action did not sit well with the inspectors. They were expecting to hear “Fire!” “Fire!” “Fire!” along with all the bells and whistles. When they talked with Shaky, he, “of course, had no idea a drill was planned.” His further response was merely, “oh; I thought it was a fire, so I just put it out.”
The inspectors were not pleased that the drill did not go as planned, but they couldn’t fault Shaky, he just did the natural thing, “he put the fire out.”
Living the Christian life is like that. Do what “you” can do. Life is not a drill. Everyone can help, work, and serve in ways where only they may know and see the need.
We do know from the scripture not everyone has the same skills and abilities. Note with me these two passages:
Romans 12:4-11, “For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.”
1 Cor.12:14-19,”For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not, for this reason, any the less a part of the body. And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not, for this reason, any the less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. If they were all one member, where would the body be?”
I am sure you can think of other passages that make this same point; we do have different skills and abilities, but all can and should be used in and for the cause of Christ.
A popular term I hear from time-to-time is, “skill set” meaning the person has the ability, skill, and education to carry out a specific work with success. At the same time, this person can grow and acquire other skills.
As a child of God, we all started as a babe in Christ, and if I can use this term without offense, with a minimal “skill set.” But as in all areas of life, we can grow and increase our knowledge, our awareness, our willingness, and our service. You could be a two-mite giver or the one giving a cold drink of water; still,your reward will be great in heaven.
I think the key is to be a doer, don’t you?
Dick Brant