Often, I find myself saying “thank you” to people around me who do something for me or for Shepherd. We all need to be thanked, and we all need to know that what we do matters for others. But recently, after saying “thank you” to a member at Shepherd, his response was, “Pastor, I was just doing what had to be done…”
The encounter made me stop and smile in gratitude for this person’s servant heart. And this past week, as I was reading our Gospel passage from Sunday, I couldn’t help but think of this person’s response. In short, in the second half of our Gospel reading, Jesus tells a story of the responsibility of a slave to complete his work both in the fields and in the home. Though the use of “slave” may catch our attention – especially when considering our country’s history of slavery – what Jesus is doing is pointing his disciples to a truth: that doing the work God has commanded us to do is not to be something that is done for the sake of rewards, or accolades, or recognition. Rather, to do the work God has commanded us to do is something we are called to do just because “it needs done.” For that reason, we are to see ourselves as “unmeritorious” servants of Christ.
So this week, as you find yourself interacting with others, consider how you may be called to act in faith – doing something for another just because “it needs done.” It might not be a large act. But any act, done in faith, has the power to make a lasting impact.