In my role, I have the opportunity to be in many meetings, often with colleagues.
In such a meeting the other day, I found myself looking at a colleague, thinking, “Look at what they’re bringing to the table.” Our team is made up of a beautiful tapestry of people with differences in all spaces of life.
I knew it wasn’t a random thought. It was God, giving me a fresh sense of perspective, which He often does (and needs to do!).
It got me thinking of Pastor Gerard’s message called, ‘Inside Out’. It focussed on the incredible uniqueness of us as individuals, and how God can and wants to use our whole selves – even our messy, dark bits – for His purposes.
We each have something special lurking on the inside of us – perspective, uniqueness, flavour – and all those things, God wants to reveal and release.
Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
This verse not only speaks to our everyday lives, but also when we come together as the church.
Ephesians 4:16 (NLT)
He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.
All those who call Civic home have a special part to play in the house. As someone who has the privilege of working closely with our volunteers, this is a drum I’ve beaten for years, and it’s one that I’ll keep beating to my grave!
You – reader – have something unparalleled and unprecedented to contribute. It’s not going to look like the contribution of the next person. And so it shouldn’t. It’ll be extraordinarily and explicitly YOURS.
According to our volunteer model in Nehemiah 2, we’ll strategically place you on the wall to serve. But the heart, attitude, innovation and distinctiveness that you partner with that placement, is beautifully and exclusively ‘you’ and you alone.
I echo Pastor Gerard when he said, “God is excited about you discovering who you are. God wants to use it and bring it out!”
That goes for all spaces – volunteering, family, vocations, hobbies, sporting arenas, parenting, studying, retirement and all that’s in between!
All of heaven waits for you and I to unleash what’s inside of us, all for His glory.