Saved to Serve

We were all saved for a purpose: so that we might be reconciled to God and walk in a right relationship with God the Father.  Because we are saved, we now have capacity to serve God and
other people. Galatians 5 states:
13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
15 But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!
16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

Salvation brings sensitivity to the Spirit of God, and that sensitivity can bring desire and direction to serve.  We no longer belong to ourselves, we belong to God, and He desires for us to seek to walk in His purpose.  The Church is, in a sense, the delivery system through which God's love is brought to a world that needs to know Him.  And, each of us individually can find our place - it takes willingness to give up ourselves so that Christ may be expressed through us.

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We are God's representatives, and even in our occupation, He can rightly position us so that He is
glorified through the actions we take and how we conduct ourselves. 2nd Corinthians 5 states:
18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,
19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.
20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God.

I am appreciative about what those who work for the U.S. Postal Service do.  I am the son of a postal worker, who worked for over two decades with the post office after making a career change in his 40's, having been an auto mechanic for a similar amount of time.

We have an explosion of delivery employees now, with the new online frontier sending out packages through a number of delivery options.  And, many restaurants have joined what was once regarded as the domain of pizza chains in offering home delivery.  Why, now you can even have your groceries delivered to your home!!

One particular U.S. Postal Service worker had a chance to deliver something more than mail and packages recently, which can remind us of the opportunities we may have to deliver kindness and the love of God.  Keith Rollins is a Maryland postal employee who was driving along a highway around 8:00 one recent morning, according to Christian Today, when he saw a toddler walking near the road, a 2-year-old boy who had been reported missing the previous evening.  Rollins had said, according to WUSA-TV: "It was God-ordained that I be in that place at that time..."  The Christian Today article says:

Describing the moment he spotted the toddler, he said: "He only had a pair of sweatpants and sweatshirt, no shoes or socks. So I walked up to him. I said, 'Hey, buddy. How you doing? What's your name? Are you OK?' He looked at me, but I didn't get a response from him."

It was at that moment that Rollins "decided to just scoop him up" and take him back to his vehicle.

"I had a sweater that I tried to cover him up with, and turned up the heat and I called the police back and said that I had the little boy in my vehicle, and within a matter of minutes, the police were there," he said.

The article says that:

Speaking to local media, Rollins said it was "remarkable" that he found the boy when he did as he was "shivering, cold".

Rollins added that he did not consider himself to be a hero and that he was "Giving glory to God that I was able to help at that particular time and be in the correct place at the right time..."

One thing we can recognize is that God is sovereign over time and place.  He will direct our steps or actions so that we can be His representative in a particular situation.  And, in this case, Keith Rollins was used by the Lord to testify to His hand.  If we possess a submissive attitude, we can be in a place where we can be a blessing to others and to be blessed by what God does in our midst.

Keith Rollins delivered more than just the mail that Maryland morning - he delivered hope, kindness, and a sensitivity to the Lord.  He was rightly positioned so that God could us Him.  We can reflect on how God has certain "packages:" of love and light, caring and kindness, so that Jesus is exalted through us.