The tale of two workers

Two people who did the same task were asked what they did over the weekend. Both responded.

Worker one states “It was beautiful I got to help out with a wedding. I help serve food for hundreds of people and it really was great to have God use me to minister this couple and their friends and family.”

On the other hand worker two replies “It was horrible. I worked in the kitchen all day, nothing came out right, and my body hurts. To make matters worse, no one even thanked me.”

Which worker is right? They did the same task. On the outside they both looked like they were serving. But on a much more important question, which one was ministering?

Jesus provides us with an answer in 1 Corinthians 13:1

“If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.”

In service, love is the difference between serving and ministry. Even if the intention and task is right but do not posess love in your heart then you are just mere noise that has no value for teaching or encouragement.

I must admit, I am found myself of falling of the trap of the second worker when it comes to ministry. My sin is having the wrong focus. There is more emphasis on the task than the actual purpose of the ministry and how I treat people around me. Even if the task seems right, and the intentions are good, but there is no love then it disqualifies you from your rewards in ministry.