The LORD said to Aaron, “…I myself have selected your fellow Levites from among the Israelites as a gift to you, dedicated to the LORD to do the work at the tent of meeting. But only you and your sons may serve as priests in connection with everything at the altar and inside the curtain. I am giving you the service of the priesthood as a gift. Anyone else who comes near the sanctuary is to be put to death.”
Numbers 18:1a, 6-7, NIV*
God gave specific, high-visibility roles of service to the priesthood (Aaron and his sons) and to the wider group of the Levites as a whole. Like other places in Scripture, God chose the people and assigned the tasks.
From our perspective, the person in a key ministry position or crucial role is someone important—special. Our star-struck culture inclines us to admire him or her because of the position, not because of character or deeds.
Today’s verse reminds us of God’s view: the high-profile role is a gift to the person, for God’s greater plan to bless the people that individual will serve. The support roles are also gifts, and just as significant. There’s no room for “He likes you more than He likes me” or the other way around.
With the “great” roles comes great responsibility, and it’s better to pray “Lord, use me where You will,” than to set the sights of personal ambition on a high-profile position. Are we here to please ourselves, or to give honour to our Creator?
He puts some of us in the lead roles, and more of us in the supporting ones. But in God’s overall view, each part matters. Our responsibility is to be consecrated, ready, and obedient to His call.
Father, thank You for those You empower for leadership roles, and for those You empower for behind-the-scenes roles. Thank You that no job is too big for the person You choose or too small for a person to need Your strength and leading. Help us remember it’s not about us—it’s for Your glory. Give us ears to hear and hearts to obey. Let us neither envy another’s service nor begrudge our own.
∞
Casting Crowns‘ “In Me” is a good reminder of Who we’re serving and where the power comes from.
*New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Janet,
How very true…. It is our Lord who gives the gift…. And, we should not discount the gift of a job position of a father, mother, son, daughter, grandparent, etc….. We can minister to each other in every one of these positions….. Every job position is a way of supporting those around us and ministering to their needs.
This is a great message.
Margaret
Margaret, I think those “commonplace” roles of parent, child, friend… all the relationship ones… are key. They may not be very glamorous, but they can have a lot more impact and they’re worth our very best efforts.
Sometimes I think we discount these roles as something “anybody can do” — but not anybody can do them, and nobody can do them to full potential without God 🙂
You summed it up really well — it’s about “supporting those around us and ministering to their needs”