What you have in common with Pocahontas and flat tires

"Emery, wanna help me fix the bike tires? They're flat."
"Yes! Lemme get my tools."

Moments later, she emerged from her room with a bucket full of Disney princesses and bouncy balls. I pulled out the wrenches, the tire flat fixing kit, and pulled off the bike wheels. Meanwhile, Emery was at work "fixing fings". She had Pocahontas out and all the other 9 wrenches that I hadn't used, and she was working on that bike.

Same thing happens when she wants to "help" one of us cook. All that involves is her standing on a chair and taste-testing everything before AND after it goes into the mixing bowl. Once, she even managed to grab a stick of butter mid-air as I attempted to drop it into a pot. She took a bite out of that bad boy like it was a juicy peach.

That's her definition of "help".
I would define "help" much differently.
If we're honest, we'd all agree that getting things done is a lot easier and a lot less messy when the little ones aren't around and have their hands in everything. That's why we get babysitters. Although that's the truth, there's something great about involving them. They love it, we love it, and although it takes a little longer and things may end up a little messy, it's always great when they want to "help".

It's the same way with us and God.

Let's continue this honesty trend by recognizing that if God chose to do ministry without us, things would be a lot easier and a lot less messy. There would be no need for clean-up, no pastors falling out of ministry, no church splits. Everything would happen efficiently and effectively. After all, toward the end of the Tribulation, in Revelation 14:6, as one last attempt at getting people to accept Him, God deploys an angel to fly through the sky proclaiming "the everlasting Gospel" to whole Earth in every language. Hold on, didn't Jesus give us the task of sharing the Gospel (Matthew 28:18-20)? Yeah, He did. And He gave us a good run at it. Then, toward the end of the Tribulation, He'll come show us how it's done.

Just like how I knew a bunch of tricks that Emery and Pocahontas weren't aware of when it came to fixing bike tires, God has a few tricks up His sleeve as well. Not only are we not aware of some (most) of His tricks, we're also incapable of performing them. And yet, although He could do the job far more effectively and efficiently than He could, He lets us "help". I like it that way.

So, be honest about yourself. View yourself as a little kid standing on a chair in the kitchen, apron tied around your waste, munching sticks of butter as they fall into the pan. Or, for the more hands-on fix-it types, see yourself using a Disney princess to fix a bike tire. In reality, that's what our attempts at doing God's job look like compared to His techniques and abilities. You're not the Master Chef and you haven't conquered bike tires. If anything productive actually comes from the ministry you're a part of, all the credit goes to the One who actually caused it to happen.


What ministry are you a part of and how have you seen God move through it?


What are some evidences you've seen that remind you it's not you doing it - it's God?


What are some practical ways to keep the right perspective about God's plan and your tiny contribution to it?