Rethinking the Church | Love in Ordinary Moments

23 Whatever task you must do, work as if your soul depends on it, as for the Lord and not for humans, 24 since you know that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward; you serve the Lord Christ.

Colossians 3:23-24 (NRSVUE)

The work of the church doesn't just happen during special ministry events or on mission trips. It happens in the most ordinary moments of our lives—in conversations with coworkers, interactions with cashiers, responses to family members, and reactions to daily frustrations.

Paul reminds us that everything we do can be done "for the Lord." This means that our work, our relationships, our daily tasks, and even our mundane responsibilities can become acts of worship and service when we approach them with love.

Think about what this means for your typical day. When you're patient with a slow barista at your morning coffee shop, you're doing the work of the church. When you speak encouragingly to a coworker who's having a tough day, you're loving your neighbor as yourself. When you respond with grace instead of irritation to your family members, you're demonstrating God's love.

The work of the church happens when you choose not to gossip about someone who irritated you. It happens when you give someone the benefit of the doubt instead of assuming the worst about their motives. It happens when you go out of your way to help someone who can't do anything for you in return.

This is revolutionary because it means that every person you encounter is a ministry opportunity. Every interaction is a chance to demonstrate what God's love looks like. Every relationship is a place where the work of the church can happen.

You don't need to wait for perfect opportunities or formal ministry positions. You don't need special training or ideal circumstances. The work of the church is available to you right now, in whatever situation you find yourself, with whatever people God has placed in your life.

When you treat the grocery store cashier with dignity and patience, you're doing ministry. When you listen carefully to your teenager even when you're tired, you're loving your neighbor. When you choose to encourage rather than criticize, when you help rather than judge, when you include rather than exclude—you're doing the work of the church.

This doesn't mean you need to preach at everyone you meet or turn every conversation into a theology lesson. It means you represent Jesus through your character, your kindness, your integrity, and your love. Sometimes people will notice something different about you and ask questions. Often they'll just experience God's love through your actions without even realizing it.

The truth is that God can use ordinary moments to accomplish extraordinary things. A simple act of kindness can change someone's entire day. A word of encouragement can give someone hope when they're discouraged. A demonstration of patience can show someone what grace looks like.

Prayer: Lord, help us see every day as an opportunity to love you and love others. Open our eyes to the ministry opportunities that surround us in ordinary moments. Give us patience in traffic, kindness at work, grace at home, and love for everyone we encounter. Help us represent you well in every interaction, knowing that you can use even small acts of love to make a big difference in people's lives. Amen.