Article February 5, 1921 Issue

Ministry

BETH HUGHES D'AETH

In the fourth chapter of Luke we read: "And Simon's wife's mother was taken with a great fever; and they besought him for her. And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her: and immediately she arose and ministered unto them." Immediately! That word arrests the attention at once. There was no waiting to be quite sure whether any of the symptoms of the disease remained. Instead, "she arose and ministered unto them." When once the Christ, Truth, has been perceived, the general feeling is that of wanting to help others. Ministering love does not always mean a practitioner's office, or being a Reader in the church. It may be that the home, at present, is the sphere where the ministry will be of the greatest use, or perhaps the workshop; one's ministry may be the conscientious driving of a railway train, or work in an office, even though one may appear for a time to make no headway.

Each one is holding the power of ministry, now, at this moment, in his hands. We do not read that Peter's wife's mother made her friends wait on themselves while she went to the synagogue to offer praise, or even to her room where she might give thanks. She offered praise through her quiet courtesy. Choosing the more practical way, "she arose and ministered unto them," but who shall say what songs of gratitude filled her heart as she lovingly performed the little tasks that the moment required of her. This does not mean that if an enlarged field for labor presents itself we should hesitate and not be ready and willing to help gather in the harvest, for truly "the labourers are few;" but let us not overlook the seemingly small things, and let us remember the wise advice, "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might," through the mighty energy of divine Love.

There is a great opportunity for useful activity in the office of Reader in the church, for Mrs. Eddy says (Science and Health, p. 236): "Truth should emanate from the pulpit, but never be strangled there. A special privilege is vested in the ministry. How shall it be used? Sacredly, in the interests of humanity, not of sect." Turning away from the belief in human personality, each should know, as Jesus did when he read in the synagogue in Nazareth, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord." All true ministry has its origin in divine Love. As we faithfully check each unworthy thought as it arises, and leave unsaid the unloving word, we are ministering through expressing divine Love, thus fulfilling the two great commandments. And as surely as we give Love the foremost place in our labor, healing will follow, since "love is the fulfilling of the law."

Send a comment to the editors

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit

Ministry

We'd love to hear from you!

Sign up for unlimited access