“You don’t care that Mary isn’t in the kitchen helping me.”
Oh, if our thoughts followers, would flash upon the walls, creep across the sky or flash across billboards; how shocked others would be. “Pastor doesn’t care that I’m the only one on the hospitality committee who is working my butt off for the feeding this afternoon. The boss doesn’t care that I am the only one staying late to ensure that the presentations are ready for tomorrow’s meeting. My husband doesn’t care that I am working my butt off in this house after working an eight-hour job. My wife doesn’t care that I’m the only one slaving to bring something to the table. These doggone children don’t care that I do all the work around here and they do nothing. The church members don’t care that I am the only one cleaning this church up every Sunday!” This indicates a tasking mentality.
After hearing Martha, Jesus addresses the issue at hand. An issue follower it’s you.”
“Martha, Martha” Jesus began.
He called her name twice to get her attention. He called her name twice to calm her down. He called her name twice letting her know that he was aware of her anger and both Him and Mary. He called her name twice showing Mary that she was not at fault and had done no wrong.
“Thou art careful and troubled about many things.”
Jesus was saying to Martha that though she made serving the extent of her concern her troubles were far more than serving.
“One thing is needful, and Mary has chosen that good part which shall not be taken away.”
What Martha had need of was a ministry mentality. A ministry mentality is a mindset that puts others before self; a mindset that cares about the comfort and well-being of others. A ministry mentality doesn’t worry about what another is or is not doing but is focused on our purpose. A ministry mentality makes us available to meet the needs of others not because we have to but because we want to. A ministry mentality is a productive mentality. It produces fruit that is more valuable than silver and gold. A ministry mentality brings joy and comfort in the worst of situations. It will have you singing in the rain.
A ministry mentality leads one to be faithful in whatever area he or she finds themselves regardless to what others around them are doing. A ministry mentality put into action brings promotion. It will keep you always in other’s view.
Some of us are complaining within about being at the same status for years in the church and even on our secular jobs. Could it be because of having a tasking mentality?
You see followers, a tasking mentality does just enough to get by. A tasking mentality doesn’t put its best foot forward. No one knows whether you’re tasking or ministering except you, God and the people you’re complaining to. Keep in mind that we are talking to believers and not to the nonbeliever. Promotion for the believer comes from the Lord. He knows which of the two you are doing.
Some years ago, I worked for Wal-Mart in the men’s wear department. A co-worker came to me one night saying. “You’re the only one in apparel who cares about your tables being folded and your department being kept in order. This is just Wal-Mart.”
I cared because I was ministering and not tasking. I ministered unto the Lord by being a good steward on the job He’d given me. Thousands were in and out of my department. They shouldn’t have had to come in and dig through messes on the floors and tables to find what they wanted to buy. The customers should have entered into a clean department and a friendly atmosphere. They should have had a joyous shopping experience.
A ministry mentality put into action will have you always in another’s view. While at Wal-Mart one of the co-managers came into the department where a co-worker and I stood talking and said, “This is the cleanest department in the store.” Another time the manager came to me and said, “You do such a good job that if you recommended anyone for hiring, I’d hire them on the spot.” A ministry mentality opens the doors for others. A ministry mentality will also have the enemy looking at you. Even people that don’t like you because of your ministry mentality are watching and talking. “Oops here comes Miss Wal-Mart” they would say.
A tasking mentality will most of the time take you no further than the job or act you’re doing; however, a ministry mentality continuously leads to different places and different actions. Some of us are complaining about Pastor always calling on sister chug-a-lug, and brother get-it-done. Whenever there is a new office or work to be done, these two are the first persons the Pastor will call on. We’ll instantly accuse and assume that the Pastor is showing favoritism. How is your performance in the office you hold? If you’re not holding an office, then have you made your availability known? How much interest have you shown in ministry work? Are you one of those who sits back and waits for others to make things happen and then say “Look at what we have done?
A ministry mentality builds rapport. People will seek you out. Several times at my Wal-Mart ministry co-workers would say “a customer came into today asking specifically for you.” I’ve made many acquaintances walking in a ministry mentality.
A Ministry mentality disciplines and perfects us in every area of our lives. While being perfected in this ministry during my time at Wal-Mart I was required to zone pants walls. Zoning meant putting the pans in numerical order; ex. 29×30, 29×32, 29×34 etc. One day I was at a stack of pants that was numerically correct until I reached the bottom of the stack. There on the bottom was one pair of pants that should have gone into the middle of the stack and the stack was about 20 pants high. Not wanting to lift the stack to insert that one pair of pants in its proper place I decided to leave it where it was. I walked away. The Holy Spirit would not let me rest about that one pair of pants. I kept trying to ignore Him and to shake off the convicting and convincing work that He was doing. Finally getting worn down by Him in regard to that one pair of pants I submitted my will to what was right. On my way back to the pants wall I said to the Lord. “God you are killing me!’ The Lord laughed and said, “My intentions exactly.” Disciplining means putting to death our wills and ways and coming to life to the that which is right and coming into the ways of Christ.
continued…….