Romans 12:7, Gift of Service

Romans 12:7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;

The word “ministry” means literally a “deacon” or “servant”. Barnes observed well concerning the word “ministry”, “This word properly means service of any kind, Lu 10:40. It is used in religion to denote the service which is rendered to Christ as the Master. It is applied to all classes of ministers in the New Testament, as denoting their being the servants of Christ; and it is used particularly to denote that class who, from this word, were called deacons, i.e. those who had the care of the poor, who provided for the sick, and who watched over the external matters of the church.”

Dr. Ironside, when a boy, helped his widowed mother by working during vacations, Saturdays, and out-of-school for a Scottish shoe worker who was a Christian. He posted Bible verses all over the shop so that everywhere one looked, he would see the Word of God. No package went out to a customer without a tract or a word of testimony, and many came back for salvation.

Dr. Ironside’s job was to pound leather for shoe soles. A piece of cowhide was cut to size, soaked in water, and pounded until it was hard and dry. After endless poundings, he was weary. One day, he noticed that another godless cobbler was not pounding, but was nailing the soles while still wet. “So they come back quicker,” was the reply.” The Christian owner explained to Ironside: “I do not cobble just for 50¢ or 75¢ from customers. I do it for the glory of God. In heaven, I expect every shoe returned to me in a pile, and I do not want the Lord to say, ‘Dan, that was a poor job. You did not do your best.’ “¹

May the Lord help His people to serve Him well this day. Amen.

¹Encyclopedia of 15,000 Illustrations: Signs of the Times.