Be Someone Else

This is an email story that got me thinking...

Once upon a time there was a pastor of a church, and the church was dying. Fewer and fewer people came, got involved and gave, so the pastor decided to call it a day. He was going to close the doors of his church for good.

Before he did, he sent out an invitation to his congregation to come to the last service that would ever be held in the church. The pastor said it would be a memorial service, open casket.

This got the attention of the members, and word got out to the community as well, and when the day came for the last service, the church was overflowing. Standing room only.

Everyone was there looking at the front of the church at the open casket, wondering who was in it. People looked at one another taking inventory trying to figure who was missing and might be in the casket, at this the last service ever in the church.

The pastor began the service, and didn’t waste any time announcing who was in the casket. He said that the person in the casket had a name that was used every time he sought help. When he looked for Sunday School workers, this was the name he was told would do the job. When he asked for financial support to pay for the roof of the sanctuary to be repaired and re-shingled, he was given this name as the benefactor who would step forward. When he looked for small group leaders to start up a small group program, this was the most common name given to him to be such leaders.

“The name,” he announced in a loud voice, “is ‘Someone Else.’”

• Someone Else can take care of teaching Sunday School and watching our babies.
• Someone Else can give money to pay for the new roof.
• Someone Else can lead the small groups.

Everyone in attendance was embarrassed; afraid to make eye contact with the pastor. They all looked down at the floor as he dismissed them. And as he dismissed them, he asked them to file by the coffin and identify who Someone Else was.

They did. Each and every person walked by the coffin and peeked in. When they did, they saw their own reflection in a mirror.

End of Story.

I got this story in an email from New Life Ministries in an email that was soliciting year-end donations, encouraging people to step forward & not wait for others to make a difference. It got me to thinking. What am I "assuming" will be done by "someone else"? and, am I the one who's supposed to do it? For years now my husband and I have struggled with this concept, the idea that "if I don't do it, who will?" Since we are both gifted in helps and administration, we have a relatively easy time identifying needs, and have often just plunged forward into "doing things" just because there was a need. I wonder where the balance is? If I do "everything" and don't let a need become known, am I denying someone else an opportunity to serve? Maybe it's not just about who "does" it, but about their attitude... If I do it, can I serve in whatever way with gladness? or will I do it grudgingly because "who else will?" and it "has to be done"... I'm thinking it all comes back to "What is the Lord asking ME to do?" versus what should I make known as a need for others to fill? This is a hard distinction for me to make, as I tend to be very "driven" to complete projects and tick items off a "to do" list. Leaving things unfinished or needs unfulfilled is such a challenge that I really have to wonder why - does it boil down to control? I have actually been told by one of my pastors that I can be "hyper responsible" (taking on tasks that aren't mine) and I have to stop and consider, has this caused me to not do "my" tasks quite as well, or in as timely a fashion?

Remembering that the Lord has only asked me to do what CAN be done with His help is a great start... remembering to ask what He wants me to do is the on-going challenge... I guess I thought I would be better at all this by now...