The Origin of Serving

How did a worldwide ministry like Habitat for Humanity get started?  Back in the '60's Millard Fuller and Clarence Jordan had a vision for affordable housing.  How did a local ministry like the Amen Kitchen start feeding children in an after school program?  Some people became concerned about children being hungry in a south Georgia town.  How is it that a nearby church is always opening its door in times of crisis for those whose normalcy is turned upside down?  Some folks saw a need and found a way when others were saying it could not be done.    

There are things not yet seen which God wants folks like you and me to be about.  Ministries that serve people may be born out of community surveys and over the top programs, but more come into existence because some individual sees a need and decides something must be done.  The Scripture points to God as one who works with individual people instead of committees.  He plants a vision in the heart of some soul whose heart is open to possibilities that go beyond what is thought to be possible.   

When we see a need, the first thing to do is pray.  We might share with others our conviction that some need must be addressed.  Some will be interested, some will not.  God has proven over and over again that He can do amazing things with only one, or a few.   While we might pray for others to see the need, we must also know that we might be the one God wants to do what seems impossible.  What must always be remembered is that caring for the need we see is likely to be impossible if we do not depend on Him for direction and strength.   If God puts something in our heart to do, the success or failure of the effort is not the real issue.  The real issue is our obedience.  Out of such hearts, ministries that serve Christ come into being.