KNOWING AND FOLLOWING YOUR SPIRITUAL CALLING
It didn’t take long for the early church to experience the complaints of its members. The apostles had apparently started a food distribution ministry to the widows, but the church had grown so rapidly that the size of the task had become overwhelming. Even more concerning, the Greek background believers complained that the Jewish background believers were neglecting their widows. What began as a complaint about food distribution had become an accusation against the apostles about favoritism.
Depending on how the apostles responded, this problem could have either split the early church or severely slowed it down. If they had turned a deaf ear to the complaint and done nothing to address it, the disunity probably would have split the church. But if they had focused the work of the apostles on working at the tables to distribute food fairly, then they would have neglected their true calling, namely, the ministry of the Word and prayer, which would have severely slowed the growth of the church.
However, the apostles responded wisely, gathering the people together, they asked for seven men to be appointed as “deacons” (Greek: “diakonos” – “servant”). One shouldn’t miss the fact that all seven had Greek names. They were to administer the widow ministry and address the disunity. In this way, they wisely delegated this ministry, so that they didn’t neglect their own ministry calling.
The first-century church offers a wise paradigm for ministry in the 21st-century church. It is wise to set apart certain ministers to focus on caring for the physical needs of the flock. But it is equally wise to set apart pastors who are to focus on preaching and teaching the Word and praying for the flock. Both are needed in the church today. It’s important to have servants and pastors in the church that know and follow their spiritual calling.
PRAYER: Dear Father, we thank You for Jesus and for being called to serve in His Church. Help us to know and follow our spiritual calling so that we do Your will. In Jesus’ name, amen.