https://odb.org/MY/2021/12/15/i-am-his-hands
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/regional/2017-07/10/content_30053359.htm
When we start working, we try to learn and master the traits of the trade we are in. We want to be good at what we do, the business we are in; whether it is in legal, accounting, sales, marketing, IT, HR, procurement, corporate finance, logistics, data science, engineering, architecture, teaching, medicine, nursing or whatever field we are in. We start of by being a generalist, but a good one and then slowly over time, we find our niche. What we really like, what we are really good at. So if we are in IT, maybe we have branched into IT auditing as an internal auditor or if we are in corporate finance, we now focus on M&A and IPOs. Or if we are in legal, we are specialised in commercial litigation.
There is a sense that it is similar in the Kingdom of God. As Paul commented in 1 Corinthians 12, the body is not made up of one part but many. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of smell be? The point is there are many parts and each plays a crucial part. The foot cannot say that because I’m not the hand, I’m not part of the body.
I believe as the body has many parts and every part needs to play its part for the body to function properly, the church needs to embrace diversity and harness the giftings and talents of everyone for the benefit of the whole body. We know how difficult it is to live if just our little toe is hurt or if our kidney is not functioning properly. The church will not be able to fulfil its potential in God if everyone is not given the opportunity to plays his or her God appointed role – the toe needs to be healed so we can walk and run properly.
Everyone has a unique talent and as much as the church needs to identify and harness our unique talents for the sake of the Kingdom of God, we ourselves need to find our own niche in the Kingdom of God. If we want to go on a mission trip with an established preacher, we must find something useful to do to help the mission as not everyone can be the preacher in the team. Maybe we can play the guitar and lead in worship, or be the interpreter or be involved in the audio visual aspects of the trip to record the events and produce a mini documentary. Or if the mission trip is large, we can be the organiser to arrange for transport and accommodation. In the process as we serve, we will find our niche. It can be in the context of a church, a mission organisation or just a single mission trip to the interiors of Borneo. The point is what is our niche in God, where we can and will realise our fullest potential in God. We start at the basics, the fundamentals and then we find our niche and specialise. Everyone cannot be the eye as there are only two in the body. Everyone cannot be the liver as there is only one in the body. Discover our niche and focus on that, there will be much to be done and the time is short as daylight will not always be with us. When night falls, the work becomes ten times more difficult!
Ronnie's Thoughts 