Pulling Your Weight
By Tim Jones - God’s Great Outdoors
1 Peter 4:10
“As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”
If you have ever spent time in a campsite with other hunters or fishermen, you know that cooperation and shared duties are essential for an efficient camp. It takes everyone working for a common goal and giving their full effort to make camp life run smoothly. It never seems to fail that there is always one person that doesn’t pull their own weight and contribute to camp life. That person doesn’t do his share of setting up camp, gathering firewood, cooking, washing dishes, or tearing down camp. For the camp to be hitting on all cylinders, everybody must pull their own weight and work as a team. There must be a clear mission where each person is committed to achieving the same goals. The God’s Great Outdoors Ministry vision and mission statement is a good example of working as a team for a common purpose. These statements declare “what” our vision is and “how” that vision is going to be implemented to achieve the goals.
Just as working as a team in a Christian ministry, Christians themselves are part of a greater team. As Christians gather and grow together with the help of each other, we can work toward completing the mission before us. Jesus gave his followers clear instructions just before He ascended back to his Father in Heaven. Matthew 28:19-20 states “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: …”
As believers in and disciples of Jesus, our mission is clear. Working together looks like Christians protecting, pursuing, restoring, and forgiving each other. We also have the responsibility to serve, encourage, and support one another as well as praying for each other. By doing this, we are fulfilling our duties as members of our faith community. Galatians 6:2 tells us that we are to “Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ”. These responsibilities are not optional. They are essential for spiritual growth and faith community health. By actively engaging in these duties, Christians create a nurturing environment that reflects their faith and their commitment to one another. Are you pulling your weight in camp?
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