Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“Therefore, friends, select from among yourselves seven men of good standing, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this task, while we, for our part, will devote ourselves to prayer and to serving the word.”
NL Daily Devotion for Tuesday, April 23, 2024
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
I love how a friend of mine puts it. The early Christians were neglecting their duty to the widows and orphans so instead of actually addressing it wholesale, they select a group of seven guys to handle it so they can go on neglecting it.
That being said, there is a time and place for delegation. Not everyone can do everything. Some people are better suited to different aspects of service. Here, they were careful about who they chose to attend to their duties to people who were poor and who did not have the social support they needed to flourish. They wanted people who were of good standing, and full of the Spirit, and of wisdom. These would be people who wouldn’t be tempted to steal money or cheat others out of their due. They would be inspired to truly care for those they served. And who knows, maybe Peter would have been utterly lousy at this job, while Stephen nailed it.
We are, as Paul writes, many members but one body. We all have gifts that can be useful to others in multiple ways. I’m a writer. I love to dwell in scripture and reflect and I hope my efforts are of service to those who read. I would be absolutely awful in the church kitchen for any more than a brief stint. I’m not good with preschoolers. And administrative tasks, while I can do them, ultimately bore me to tears and lead me to find ways to avoid them (not so great…) I can make fun of Peter and the others for enabling themselves to further neglect their duties. But there is wisdom in giving tasks to those who love them, provided everything actually gets done.
What do I bring to my congregation in service? What could I be better at?
