Choosing to Minister

Last week, I heard/read? a comment that basically said, are you missing the ministry right in front of you because you already have an agenda/list of things to do? The example he gave was about not focusing on the person you are talking with at church because you see the person across the room that you need to give something to. Do you do that? I am challenged a lot in that area. It seems as though I always have a hundred things to accomplish each week at church and people often become means to accomplishing my ends rather than people I can minister to. He encouraged us to be diligent in focusing on the person we are speaking with and look for ways you can encourage/exhort/uplift them - that God may have put them in your path because you can give them what they may need at that time - maybe a verse you read recently, or a story you heard, or a way you responded to a similar issue. Or, perhaps, God has orchestrated that contact to bring a blessing to you or work someway in your life.

In conjunction with that, at BSF this morning, we're covering the book of 1 Thes. Chap 3 tells about Paul's heart for those people and he says...when I could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith.We discussed how that infers a deeper level of knowledge, not just surface - how was your day? - but actually spending some time and realizing where their spiritual life was at. That's not going to happen if I'm thinking about the next three things I need to do. And, really, what is more important? Am I living to invest in eternity or to accomplish more tasks here on earth?  

at the Lego store at Disney, they have a race with a Lego car each child builds