Sometimes God speaks through situations and circumstances where He is least expected to show up. At least that is how He works in my life, maybe yours, too! Lately, He has shown up in my kitchen and this week was no different for me and God.
I was in the kitchen working on a sauce for dinner (nothing fancy mind you) and as any 'good' mother would do, I was also doing about three other things at the same time - homework helper, dog waterer and shoe picker-upper - readying our time at the dinner table. In the great room, about 10 steps from the stove eye, I would pick up a pair of shoes or a backpack, and then run back to the stove to give the sauce a 'mini' stir. Hopping back and forth like this for some time, I found that I could do both jobs at the same time - even though it took a tole on my energy level! But it all worked out and the sauce was just fine for dinner. "Mini-stirs" seemed to keep the sauce from sticking, broke up the lumps and made it very tasty, even though this wasn't following the recipe directions to 'stir continually.'
In my quiet time with God, He showed me that ministry work is often accomplished through 'mini stirs' as well. He said, "sometimes the demands of this life won't allow you to fully focus on encouraging someone in a deep or personal way every day. But keeping your spiritual 'eye' on them, through 'mini stirs' often keeps the life-flow of my Word moving, changing and encouraging them enough to keep them from getting stuck!" "After all," He said, "you could interpret the word 'minister' into the 'mini stirs' that bless others to keep moving forward!"
Don't you just LOVE IT when God talks to you like your best friend or next door neighbor? I do! I love it when me and God have a great laugh together. I think He knows how very simple-minded I am, and so He and I just have conversation about things - everyday things - and He teaches me so much through those little lessons in the kitchen!
Today, ask yourself what kind of 'mini stirs' you have time for. Can you send a quick text to a friend who is feeling sick with an encouraging scripture? Can you write a silly note and put it in your daughter's lunch box? Can you compliment or encourage the checkout clerk at the pharmacy or grocery store (you know, that kid with green hair and big gauges in their ears) by telling them what a nice smile they have? Can you tell the mailman to have a blessed day?
I am convinced that all of us - no matter how busy our day, or how deeply engaged in full-blown ministry work we are - have the time to multi-task by giving a quick 'mini stir' to keep others moving toward Jesus. Little is much when God is in it!
Zechaeriah 4:10 says, "For who has despised the day of small things?"
May you multi-task with purpose this day!
Tracy
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