Articles From Our Bulletins
It Is Up To:
"A little red hen once found a grain of wheat. ‘Who will plant this wheat?’ she said. ‘I won’t,’ said the dog. ‘I won’t,’ said the cat. ‘I won’t,’ said the pig. ‘I won’t,’ said the turkey. ‘Then I will,’ said the little red hen.’
So begins the childhood favorite. All the work of reaping, milling, and baking fell to the little red hen. So, when the bread was ready and everyone wanted to eat it, the little red hen ate the loaf of bread all by herself.
A Scandinavian tale makes a similar point in a positive way. A sheep and a pig decided to build a house and live there together. A rabbit heard about it and, when he asked if he could live there too, they asked how he could help. He said he could gnaw pegs and place them. So, he joined the group. So, it was with a goose, and a rooster. Then they worked together, each doing what he could with the abilities he had until the house was finished. ‘And they lived happily ever after.’" (The Book of Virtues, W. Bennett)
These tales can help instill in our children (and us) the godly realization that we are to share the work so we can share the resulting reward. I feel we all would readily acknowledge this truth. Even so, we can profit from reminders that will help us find ways to apply the principle to our lives.
You see it is not just up to the older members to work so the church will grow. It is not just up to the retired or just up to those working, the men, the women, the preacher, the gifted, the mature, or the educated. It is up to all of us, working as a team. It is up to each individual saint to be co-workers, no matter our view of our relative importance or ability.
Feet do not make good eyes; ears do not make good hands. However, they all, working together, make a good body (1 Corinthians 12:14-25). Let’s put it another way; it doesn’t matter what your limitations are in certain areas (feet cannot see very well), you can have an active and productive part in what it will take for this congregation to grow. It is up to you as much as it is other members. We all can, and so should, actively work together toward our successful growth. We are a team, different in abilities and functions, but working in harmony. It is up to me. It is up to you. It is up to us as a team working together.
