Several years ago my church was in the midst of a project to expand the Sunday School space, using volunteers to finish the youth ministry floor to save costs. All the men in our fellowship were invited to take part.
You must understand that I don’t do tools. I never learned how to build things or fix things. My dad could build or fix anything, but I was too busy watching football on TV to observe him and benefit from his knowledge. Yet I wanted to be a contributing member of my church family, so I showed up at the worksite. All the other men were there with their toolbelts, hard-hats and tape measures. I was armed only with good intentions.
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It quickly became evident I was out of my league. I was given a few assignments I could not handle. Even as a “gofer” I would bring people the wrong item. I felt embarrassed and humiliated.
Change in perspective
Eventually I was reduced to holding a door frame in place while another worker fastened it. Guess they figured I couldn’t mess that up. Apparently my shame was obvious because my partner asked what was wrong. I shared that I felt useless and out of place. He thought for a moment, scratched his chin and uttered words I would remember the rest of my life: “Do you realize you are helping build a doorway through which hundreds of unsaved young people will walk, and when they come back out they will have accepted Jesus as Savior? You call that useless?”
I was stunned. His words hit me like a 2-by-4. It might be the most profound thing I’ve ever heard, and completely changed my mood. From then on I determined to be the best door-frame-holder I could be. I held that thing in place with a smile and a purpose. On this day, that was my role in God’s plan. It wasn’t an important one, but somebody had to do it. God called me, and I was blessed to answer.
Twenty-five years later, that doorway is still there. Every time I go past it I remember that everyone has a place in God’s plan. And none of those is trivial to Him.
EDITOR’S NOTE — Ken Lass is a retired Birmingham television news and sports anchor and an award-winning columnist for numerous publications and websites.
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