26th July 2023

More and more in my Christian walk, I am learning that, so often, it is in the little things that show best how we serve God. I spend time and effort in washing-up plastic and aluminium for recycling, and being more careful how I dispose of our household waste – keeping God’s creation in mind, and how best to care for the environment. Acknowledging, and appreciating, the attentive nurses who served me with a smile when I recently saw the doctor and dentist. Thanking the polite checkout assistant, especially when they go the extra mile to try and help.

I may never be as renowned as Nelson Mandela or Mother Teresa. I was not called to the forefront of finding a cure for cancer, the cruel disease that robbed me of my brother. But isn’t it encouraging – and humbling – that God Almighty, the eternal King of Kings and Lord of Lords, has appointed us for a task, intended only for us? In 1 Corinthians 3.5, we read “the Lord has assigned to each his task”.

All of us are important to God, and all of us can make some contribution, no matter how small. I was amused to hear the story of a pastor who made strenuous efforts to convince the husband of one of his church members to convert to Christ. Week by week he worked hard, composing sermons with well-thought-out arguments for the existence of God. But it was helping an elderly member of the church to negotiate some steep steps that turned this husband to Christ. All because the lady took the trouble to turn and thank him, and he was impressed by her humble courtesy!

Alison Waddington