I'd Rather Be a Door Keeper

For some, it's not easy to look at what they do for the Lord and be satisfied. They see others doing big things while they are behind the scenes doing something smaller. Then there are those who think a calling is beneath them because they've done some important things in the past.  Are you satisfied with what you've been called to do? If you are struggling with what God has for you, keep reading because you may think differently after doing so.

Be a Door Keeper

In II Kings 5 we find Naaman. A captain of the kings army, a great man with his master, but he had leprosy.

On hearing that a prophet in Israel could heal him, Naaman was sent by the King of Syria to Israel to be cleansed of his leprosy. Naaman came and stood at Elisha's door and Elisha sent word that Naaman ought to go and wash 7 times in Jordan and his flesh would be healed. Well, Naaman was furious, he had expected Elisha to come out to him. After all he was a great and honorable man, hadn't the Lord given deliverance to Syria by him and here was this prophet not even bothering to greet him, sending a mere messenger to tell him to wash in Jordan.

Naaman thought that at the least, Elisha could have come out and called on the name of the LORD his God, laid his hand over the place that the leprosy covered, but to wash in Jordan - the rivers of Damascus were far better than those of Israel anyway - why couldn't he wash in them and be clean - and Naaman turned and went off in a rage.

Reading about Naaman got me thinking - am I like that with the Lord - are we like that with the Lord. We know he wants us to do something for him and we think, But I'd rather do this Lord...

Look at Peter he stands at the front of the church and sings for you. That's a decent sort of job Lord, my voice isn't so bad, can't I sing for you and 

What about Mary, she leads that house-group with Andrew, people look up to her - can I do something like that Lord and

What about Martha, people have started asking her advice about things and

There's Paul over there, he even gets to lead the worship once a month and

 Lord you just want me to ... clean the floor... Giving out hymn books would be better than that.

Can't you give me a decent job, make me a prophet Lord, or perhaps I could teach, I'm sure I'd be good at it. Give me something where others can see I'm an OK sort of person Lord - I always seem to get the menial tasks.

Perhaps Naaman thought it was a bit beneath him to wash in the Jordan. His servant pointed out to him, if the prophet had asked him to do something really great he would have been off like a shot, why not do this thing that seems trivial to him. God can even use what seems trivial for his glory -  Naaman went and washed as Elisha had said and he was healed.

Psalm 84:10 - For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.

Pride is a funny thing. We always seem to want what we think is best for us, and yet no matter where the Lord places us, whether it's to be the cleaner not the preacher, the doorkeeper not the worship leader, the dish washer not the house group leader.

If we continue to wait in the wings and never make center stage, our Lord knows what is best for us. He's given us whatever gifts we have and we ought to be content in using those gifts for His glory, not ours.

Elisha sought no reward for the help he had given Naaman and we shouldn't seek to be noticed or seek the praise of others.

The Lord has given each of us something special, something we can do that perhaps no one else can, or maybe lots of people can.  No matter what, we are unique and He allows us to keep our individuality, yet we are one in Him and whatever He has given us to do we should do it until the time mentioned in Ephesians 4:11-13 - And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.

May we all say, I would rather be a doorkeeper.