390. What We Can Learn From Hair
I do vacuum at home and the majority of the stuff on the ground is hair. (Judging by the length, it is certainly not mine!) So one day I picked a handful of hair from the floor and showed it to my kids, and they freaked out, saying it was gross. But guess where it came from? Their head!
The thing about hair is, that as long as it is attached, it has a tremendous value. People without much hair get hair-implant by paying a good sum of money. It is that worth it. It functions as a covering, which affects one’s look as well. But the moment it is detached from the head, it has very little value. (It may freak some people out)
In the same way, when we are not attached to the body of Jesus (Church), we are just like the hair. We don’t have much value. It doesn't mean we don’t have “intrinsic” value. Attached hair and detached hair have no difference in their intrinsic composition and value. But our “functional” value becomes non-existent, and we would feel that way. It is very common for people who have no roles in an organization to feel not valuable, no matter how much they try to feel differently.
Our modern society constantly tells us to find our value by looking at ourselves, but we are created to find our value in our function and the contribution we make to the faith community where God placed us. As the apostle Paul said, we are created for good "works”. (Eph 2:10)
The minimum qualification to serve in team ministries is simple. Grade 9 or above for youth, and a registered member (who finished New Family Class) for adults. But remember that some teams require extra qualifications. For example, the praise team requires an audition and interview, to evaluate whether the potential member has the adequate musical skillset and the right motive, as the team gets the most attention during the Sunday worship every week. The children ministry team also requires extra qualification due to the nature of the person it ministers to, which is minor.
In the pursuit of maximum benefit for the entire body of Christ, proper qualification does not act as a barrier but a necessary filter. Remember that serving is less about our gifts, but more about benefiting the people we want to serve.
