Plug It In

In my Toastmasters Club members assume different roles during our meetings – Toastmaster, Table Topics Master, Evaluator, etc. Recently one elected officer decided it would be better to pre-assign members to positions and if you couldn’t attend a meeting you were to find your own replacement. On the religious landscape we have something similar with programs designed to evaluate talents and then plug you into an area of service in the church. While scheduling others may get the job done, it really does take both the individual and God out of the decision making equation. I have to laugh when I think what it would have been like had the early church had the opportunity to give Paul his Gospel assignment. Left up to the disciples Paul might likely have remained blind and his mission field confined to Damascus and the Jews on Straight Street. Thankfully Paul was sent to all of us. “…This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel.” (Acts 9:15b NIV)