Something Much Bigger

Hello friends, and welcome to this Wednesday edition of Our Daily Bread. Today's reading was written by Jennifer Benson Schult, and she's titled it Something Much Bigger. More than 200 volunteers assisted October Books, a bookstore in Southampton, England, move its inventory to an address down the street.

Helpers lined the sidewalk and passed books down a human conveyor belt. Having witnessed the volunteers in action, a store employee said it was a really moving experience to see people helping. They wanted to be part of something bigger. We can also be part of something much bigger than ourselves. God uses us to reach the world with the message of His love.

Because someone shared the message with us, we can turn to another person and pass it on. Paul compared this, the building of God's kingdom, to growing a garden. Some of us plant seeds while some of us water the seeds. We are, as Paul said, co-workers in God's service. Each job is important, yet all are done in the power of God's Spirit. By His Spirit, God enables people to thrive spiritually when they hear that He loves them and sent His Son to die in their place so that they can be free from their sin. God does much of His work on earth through volunteers like you and me. Although we're part of a community that's much bigger than any contribution we may make, we can help it grow by working together to share His love with the world.

Today's Our Daily Bread devotional scripture reading is from 1 Corinthians chapter 3, verses 5 through 9. What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe, as the Lord has assigned to each his task, I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything but only God who makes things grow.

The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. For we are co-workers in God's service. You are God's field, God's building.

Let's pray. Oh God, we thank You for creating us with a purpose and equipping us with the tools we need to accomplish it. Help us not to compare what we do with what others do and rate ourselves on some imaginary scale of importance, but remind us that the purpose that we have, each of us, is valuable to Your kingdom, regardless of how big or small it may be. We thank You, Lord, and it's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread Ministries.