It is safe to say that most of our lives are over-programed. I thought once the kids were out of the house, our pace would slow down some. The reality is that our lives are even more jam packed than when we had 5 kids in the home! I am not writing to attack anyone over their crazy paced lives but to challenge all of us to have ministry opportunity eyes (although, you should also consider your crazy pace).
If your schedule is like mine it is filled with events, responsibilities and activities that leave little margin. The challenge with a full schedule is that it takes up the time that God could use for unplanned ministry opportunities. A couple weeks ago I spoke at Family Camp. I knew from previous opportunities that I needed to get the nine sermons ready in advance. Now, I did not preach new sermons, but even adapting previous messages takes time to tailor towards the group. There is also all the extra stuff to prepare like handouts and presentation slides. In the past, my preparation was limited and my opportunities to minister to those attending was restricted. The same thing happens in our lives every day.
I was struck by the importance of creating margin in our schedules while reading Jesus’ parable of The Great Banquet. Jesus tells of a man who organizes a big banquet. The problem is that when the time came, not one guest was able to attend. Notice their excuses, “But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’”(Luke 14:18–20). Now the direct application of this spiritual story was Jesus’ response to someone who was in attendance at a dinner hosted by a ruler of the Pharisees. This person had assumed everyone there would be at the “Great Feast” in Heaven. Jesus’ point was many invited would not be in attendance because they have rejected the invitation of The Messiah, Jesus.
What is interesting is that the excuses in the parable above are assumed to be legitimate. Everyone was so busy with life that they missed what was really important. In this case a relationship with Jesus. But as I meditated on this passage, I was reminded how many times I miss out on the unplanned, not on my schedule, ministry opportunities that Jesus has brought across my path.
Right before an evening session was about to begin at Family Camp, I was walking to the trailer to grab the presentation and handouts for the service. Caryl brought to my attention a need of one of the families, their battery was dead and they needed to start their car. Because I had created margin in my schedule, I was able to help. The result was a very special friendship that developed with the couple that week.
Let me encourage you to open your eyes to the ministry opportunities that Jesus is bringing across your path each day. I am also reminded from Jesus’ parable that Jesus reaches those who are on the outside of religion. “And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’ ” (Luke 14:23–24).
-Pastor Joe Parkinson