Behind the Scenes

A handful of people at every church event are seldom seen and rarely thought about after a concert, play, or church dinner.

These people work behind the scenes to help make each occasion a success. Without them, the church would not be clean, seating would be confusing, dishes would be unwashed, and details would be left for someone else. These unsung heroes are satisfied with their hidden role and feel blessed to be able to serve.

Serving

“Prayer warriors” lift up their families, friends, and a multitude of others, some unknown to them, in prayer. Their degree of burden for certain people can be physically draining and emotionally painful as they feel the weight of someone else’s need. We may be unaware that the Lord is blessing our lives because of the prayers of another person.

My son, Scott, teaches in an public elementary school. Several of the teachers are Christians who meet together to pray for the children and for each other. One day, a parent of one of the children in Scott’s class told him that the Lord woke her up at 3 A.M. to pray for him. He is a Christian, and he was deeply touched that someone who hardly knew him was praying for his needs. Moms and dads are behind the scenes asking Jesus to make a difference in schools and to guide and encourage teachers.

Our assignment from the Lord may appear to be limited.

We may pray behind closed doors without anyone’s knowledge. We may wash dishes after a church dinner, fill the literature racks in the foyer, or pick up papers from the parking lot. Whatever our service, when we do it as unto the Lord, He is glorified. The Bible tells us in 1 Corinthians 10:31, “Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

After my mother-in-law passed away, her family was astonished to find she had been spending the last years of her life knitting caps and booties for preemie babies at a local hospital. She had been active throughout her younger years by sewing and knitting for missionaries, family, and friends. Due to her age and health, her family assumed she was no longer active in any outreach ministry.

Obey God

In 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12, the Bible gives instruction for godly living.

“Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands.” This message encourages Christians who feel their daily routine does not count as service to the Lord. We may not make headline news on earth, but if we obey the Lord and serve where He has called us, then our service is great.

A woman told me that she did not feel comfortable being a Sunday school teacher or leading a Bible study, but she loved to write letters. She became involved in a ministry writing letters to women in prison. She witnessed to them and gave encouragement through the written word.

David McCasland commented in his devotional in Our Daily Bread, “We are called to be faithful, not famous.” Our service may be behind the scenes to everyone but the Lord, but He’s the one that counts.