What Is Our Job?

Job descriptions, orientation, and training are all important for new employees.  We all want to know what is expected of us.  Then there is that phrase at the bottom of most job descriptions that we all love, "Other duties as assigned".  

As a pastor in the United States, I believe there is a tremendous void in discipleship.  Many Christians are walking around with out a job description, training, and orientation.  I am not going to dive into that here.  However, as followers of Jesus, we want to know what is expected of.  What is our job?  

This morning, I woke up to some pictures on my phone from a partner in ministry in Malawi.  You can see one of them above.  Harvey has helped plant over 70 churches in the area and just started ministering to orphans and widows (James 1:27).  When I was looking through the pictures and saw the lady in the yellow dress distributing plates of food it caused me to think of the disciples in the Gospels.  Jesus asks the disciples for what they have.  He takes the few loaves of bread and some fish, multiplies it, and gives it back to the disciples to distribute to the thousands of people that are there.  What was going through their minds?  "How is this happening?  This is impossible?  This is crazy!"  I never considered these mass feedings in the Bible from the disciples' perspective. 

As I thought about it I realized that is a good job description for a disciple.  Our job is to take what Jesus multiplies and distripute it to others.  We bring what God already provided.  He multiplies it.  We distribute it to those around us.  That could be physical provision, the message of the Gospel, our our talents and gifts. 

So often, we think our job is to produce.  We feel pressure to multiply.  The Apostle Paul telss us in 2 Corinthians 9: 10-11 "He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God."  

Our job as followers of Jesus is to distribute.  Jesus is asking us the same thing.  "What do you have?  Bring it to me.  Now go, and give it away."