What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of working for God? Do you envision leading a large church or doing great mission work in far flung, poverty stricken countries?
Or do you imagine loving and serving your family, your literal neighbours and the needy people in your country?
The well known adage says that charity begins at home. The whole idea behind it is that people should begin showing kindness in their homes before showing kindness to those outside. The same concept works for ministry.
Before you can even think about shepherding hundreds of people to Christ, helping the needy abroad, think about the ways in which you can do all that where you are now. Think of how you can serve God in your house, your country and even your heart. For these places are your homes, and ministry, like charity, begins at home.
Ministering in the House
There is so much opportunity to minister in your house, your home. If you are a wife, you can minister to your children and husband by walking in love, patience and compassion towards them. (Galatians 5:22) If you are a husband, you can minister to your wife and children by loving and leading them in the Lord and making decisions that bless and don’t hurt them.
As a married couple, you can teach your children about the love of God and help them grow in grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 3:18) You can teach them the importance of reading the Word, every day, fasting and praying.
If you are a brother or sister, you can minister to your siblings by loving them as God calls us to (1 John 4:7); being patient and bearing with them. (Ephesians 4:32)
The Apostle Paul tells us that if we do not provide for our own we are worse than unbelievers. (1 Timothy 3:17) Yet some people neglect providing for and loving their own families to go and do the same for other people. That’s not how it should be.
As a parent and child, your first priority is to your house and family. Your home. For it is only once you have learned to give at home, love at home, serve at home and even teach at home that you can do it well outside of your home.
Ministering in Your Country
Maybe you feel like you aren’t doing enough because you aren’t helping people all around the world. But every single country in the world has people who are in need of money, food, clothing and love, including yours.
If you just open your eyes you will see that there are people in your own country in need of assistance.
There are people in your town, city and neighbourhood that might be in need. Maybe even your colleague, neighbour or friend. These are the people you need to help.
This is not to say that it’s wrong to desire to help people in other countries or to start organisations that do so. Far from it.
But it’s important not to overlook those around you who are in need, in your pursuit to go help other people elsewhere.
You will realise that there are numerous areas you can be of help in your home country. Just ask the Lord to reveal them.
Ministering in Your Heart
Before you start looking to do work for God far away, there is another home that you need to turn your attention to. Your heart.
Your heart is the most important place to minister to because it is where God makes His home. (John 14:23) But are you ministering to the home of your heart?
Are you reading Scripture daily, meditating on God, and speaking to Him always in your heart? Do you have a personal relationship with Him that comes from your heart? One that exists outside of church and that isn’t only cultivated by your pastor, friends or spouse?
These are the type of questions you ought to ask before seeking to go minister elsewhere.
You cannot give what you do not have. So, if you don’t have God within you, how can you expect to lead others to Him?
It is out of the abundance of what is in your heart that you will speak. (Matthew 12:34-35) If you have God’s love, peace and kindness within you, you will be able to share it with your family and those around you.
You Don’t Have to Go Far
Perhaps, lately, you’ve been feeling like you are failing as a Christian simply because you aren’t running a huge charity or leading a church. But I hope this has helped you understand that whilst these are great things to do, not everyone is called to do them.
God does not expect every single person to be a pastor or spiritual leader or to run big charity organisations. What He does expect us to do is to have a personal relationship with Him.
He does expect us to love our families, to provide for them and teach them His ways. God expects us to help those close to us who are in need; to assist those people He leads us to and extend our love to them.
You don’t have to be doing “big” things that are being seen by everyone to work for God. You just have to love, give and serve in the way God has called you to.
And you don’t have to go far to do that.
You only have to start with your three homes; your house, your country and your heart.
