Real Live Preacher says that mowing can be a monastic devotion.  Just for the record, in case you don’t know, I hate mowing.  So I found this intriguing.  And I have liked this concept of God in the midst of the ordinary stretches of our lives for a while.  Well, ok, I like the idea but not always like the practice.  But I digress.  The idea of the spiritual call of the mundane is powerful.  I truly believe that God is every bit concerned about being in the midst of the tedious, the boring, the unglamourous parts of our lives.  That He wants the whole summ of our lives.  Not just the adventurous dreams.

So often, we want Godly mission to be about grandiose things.  We want to change the world.  The mission field must be about some far flung land that needs the Gospel.  It must, we think, be about us writing songs or poetry or preaching that will change countless lives.  Now, I want to be clear and say that wanting those things are NOT wrong.  And that God clearly does do things like that.  But I am also here to tell you that God cares every bit as much about the simple, ordinary, unpolished parts of our lives every bit as He does about the bigger dreams.  I truly believe that every diaper changed is as important to God as any written by Hill Song.  That every act done in quiet service to the Kingdom is of great value.

In fact, as I think of it, there is probably a tendency for God to require us to be faithful in the ordinary before He will trust us with bigger things.  Take the parable of the talents, for instance.  All the faithful servants are told by the Master, “you have been faithful in the little things.  Now I will make you ruler over much”.  Years ago, I remember a popular Evangelist sharing that when he initially wanted to go into the ministry, he had great dreams and plans.  He had a great passion for service.  He went to his Pastor at the time and shared his great vision of changing lives for Jesus and desire to go into the ministry.  His pastor said something like “GREAT!  Here’s a broom….go sweep the church floors.”.

It would seem this, likely many New Covenant things, is a matter of the heart.  The servant of Christ must be humble.  Christ Himself came in the form and practice of a servant.  He, though being God, was essentially homeless and penniless for most of His ministry.  And remember the sheep and the goats?  The sheep did all kinds of amazing and good works for the Master.  And yet, they didn’t even know they were doing it!  They were so humble and selfless and yielded to God’s purpose and plan…that it seemed to be second nature to them.

I love how RLPreacher says in his article that jeans are his vestments and a baseball cap is his tonsure.  What help can you be today, friend?  Where can you lend a hand?  What kind word can you give to another who is suffering?  What gift can you bring?  It may help more than you can ever know.  And whether it is received by another is actually inconsequential.  Because it matters to God.  And He will most surely say to you “Well done, good and faithful servant.  You have been faithful in a little…” and “…when you did this to the least of these you did also to me”.

Peace to you today fellow traveler…