Ministry without Qualification

On Sunday I attended an annual summer picnic that is hosted by a couple of friends of mine. The annual picnic always has a theme. This year's theme was Oktoberfest. The idea behind the party is that they provide the basics and we, the guests, provide all of the side dishes (preferably within the theme) and come dressed in costumes representing the theme. The party is usually a hoot - lots of games, fun, fellowship. This year had a slightly different tone - a weird tone. When I got there, there were 4 distinct groups of people in circles. There seemed to be no mingling - just 4 distinct groups. I am not really a shy person, and am friends with people in each of the groups, so I mingled throughout the party from group to group. The next day as I talked with another friend who was there, we both noted how the party was different than any of the other years. The party was dominated by cliques - 4 distinct cliques. It changed the tone of the party. It added the element of exclusion.

I write this not to be judgmental of the people at the party. They were doing what naturally comes to people. I write it to share what God spoke to me about this situation. One of the greatest characteristics of Christ was that he was inclusive. There was no exclusion in His ministry. He welcomed anyone who wanted to be a part of Him whether they were sinners, Greeks, non-Jews, tax payers, adulterers, and the list goes on. He didn't exclude anyone. He showed them love and compassion and welcomed them into His ministry. He invited everyone to His table to eat - He didn't exclude people. He was very inclusive.

For me to be more like Christ, I cannot ignore this part of His characteristic. He sought to minister to those that would be considered outside of His "crowd". This is so opposite of what I am like sometimes. I want to minister, but deep down, I really want to minister to people that I think I want to eventually be my friends. Sometimes I have a hard time answering the call of ministry to those that I would label, by my attitude, "un-friend-worthy". I remember when I worked with the teen ministry and on a monthly basis, we would go to the local mission to fellowship with the homeless. For me, that was way out of my comfort zone. First, I'm a germophobe. I carry Purell and anything similar to Purell in my purse and on me at all times. My staff actually had a Purell dispenser installed in my office as a gift for Christmas one year - that's how much I like to anti-bacterial my hands. I was put out by ministering with the homeless. My attitude was that I was better than they were - well, at least cleaner. Although I was ministering, I wasn't doing it with the inclusive attitude like Christ's. How often I see this in my very own church. Ministering to the homeless is an extreme example of ministering outside my comfort zone. What about ministering within my own congregation. I very rarely step out of my own comfort zone to meet people that are, on the outside, not up to my standards. The truth is that it is sinful behavior. Christ was inclusive. He ministered to the most unlovely. It wasn't about His calling either. He wasn't called to the "unlovely". He was called to love and to minister. Period. No qualifications for those He ministered to. Somehow, when I read the scriptures, I have translated this into my life as ministry with qualifications. People have to meet my qualifications before I can feel like I should minister to them. This is not Christ-like behavior. This isn't ministering with the love of Christ.

What a wake-up call for me. As I'm reading through the gospels, it is shown over and over again that Christ ministered to all. He didn't minister to a small group of people that met His qualifications or were up to His standards. He ministered to all. Maybe your standards for people you minister to are perfect - Maybe others have this down to a science, and this post is really just for me. I doubt that is true, however. I see the exclusivity in the church I attend. The wake up call is this - Christ ministered in love to all. The amazing part of this is that He was drawn to all. That was His love and understanding. If I am to be like Christ, I need to mirror His ministry standards. As a child of the King, I am called to minister to all with respect, love and understanding. Again, daily I am reminded how short I fall of being like Christ. My prayer would be that my heart would open to love and minister to those that are outside my comfort zone. To learn ministry like Christ. Love. Relationship. Compassion. Patience. Understanding. Inclusive. Against my grain as a sinner, but He ministers to me without qualification. I, too, should minister to others in this same manner.