MINISTRY OF SMILES

In the ninety's there was a lot of teaching going around about the fact that everyone is a minister. I haven't heard this taught much in the last several years.

The truth behind this teaching was to get Christians off the pew and into service. It totally changed the way my husband and I viewed ourselves as servants of God. Everyone has been given talents and particular things they can do for the kingdom of God . If everyone would utilize what they have been given, the church would be more effective.

You may not think you are called into ministry because you have always thought of a minister as someone who does the five fold ministry.

Ephesians 4:11-12 (amplified version), “And His gifts were (varied; He Himself appointed and gave men to us) some to be apostles (special messengers), some prophets (inspired preachers and expounders), some evangelists (preachers of the gospel, traveling missionaries), some pastors (shepherds of His flock) and teachers. His intention was the perfecting and full equipping of the saints (His consecrated people), (that they should do) the work of the ministering toward building up Christ's body (the church)”.

We should be getting fully equipped so we can go and do the work of the ministry. Every child of God is called to do their part. There is also a very important ministry called the ministry of helps. The five fold ministers can't do everything. Nor should they be expected to. Everyone working together is what makes up the beautiful body of Christ.

When I was younger, it seemed that people were always telling me to smile. I came to realize that my serious personality was causing me to look mad all of the time even when I wasn't. Do you know anyone like that? They look serious and not very fun most of the time. There is a pretty good chance that they don't even realize it.

Once I became aware of the look on my face, I purposely went to work to change it. I began to smile on purpose. I wanted my outward appearance to reflect the joy that was inside of me. The longer I practiced smiling at people, the easier it became, even when I did not want to.

The church I grew up in had a lot of older church moms who could pray the roof down. What I noticed as a child was that some of them always looked mad at the world. This did not make me want to be like them. I equated being a prayer warrior to never having fun. Where was the joy they should have? I didn't see it. Maybe they never realized the look on their face and how it affected others.

You may wonder what smiling has to do with ministry. What I have discovered is that smiling is ministry. It can tear down walls and lift spirits in ways that few other simple gestures can. Ministry does not have to come from a pulpit. If that is the mind set that you have, you are missing out. You can spread the ministry of joy everywhere you go, on purpose.

I used to work for a large ministry and every day the same lady would walk past me in the hallway. She always had her head down and looked so serious and sad. I made it a point everyday to say hello to her and smile. At first, she would say hi without ever looking up, but after a while she began to look at me. Before very long, she even began to smile back. One day I tested the progress of my persistence. When I saw her coming, I looked down, and to my surprise, she said hello to me with a big smile on her face that caused me to look back at her. After that big breakthrough, she would come find me. From the first day I saw her, I made her my project. Tearing down walls and lifting spirits, now that is a ministry. Even though there were no pastors in that hall way, God did amazing things in her life.

To quote my grandson's interpretation of a children's church song, “me and I, me and I, there's a fountain flowing full of me and I.” That is the problem. This all about me stuff is not of God. If everything is about me, I will never step out and help meet the needs of others. We used to call it selfishness.

A dear lady at my church never gets to go to our annual ladies retreat, but she always blesses those who do by making a variety of homemade desserts for us to enjoy. Even though she is on a fixed income, she has found a way to use what God has given to her. This has become a highlight of our retreats.

What do you have? What can you do? If all you can do is smile, you can minister. Most of us can do much more than that. Even if you never minister on a stage, there is still something you can do to bless others. Take inventory of you life today and find a way to minister.  

Sandra's Bio:

After years of serving as Director of the Women's ministry in her home church, Sandra and her husband John felt God leading them to move to Tulsa Oklahoma to attend Rhema Bible Training Center . After graduating in 2001, they moved back to the Dallas area. They have done some traveling ministry and teaching in a Bible School . They are members of World Ministry Fellowship of Plano Texas. Sandra feels that her calling is to equip women to know who they are in Christ and how to live out their full God given potential.

Sandra Hall may be reached at tylersmimi@gmail.com