Nehemiah 3:15
“Shallun, son of Col-hozeh, ruler of the district of Beth-Zur repaired the Fountain Gate. He rebuilt it and roofed it. He installed its doors, bolts and bars. He also made repairs to the Pool of Shelah near the king’s garden, as far as the stairs that descend from the city of David”
As young leaders, we all want to change the world. We have grand visions and ideas and think that if we are just given a shot we could do something amazing like slay a giant, move a mountain or even change a system. I’m not saying you won’t do those things, but I’ve realized the process is much different than we think. You may have entered into ministry with this grandiose idea of what it looks like and get discouraged when it actually looks a lot more like multiple trips to Costco getting food for a church event or unloading a trailer of equipment.
And maybe you have had these thoughts:
“I wanted to do something important!”
“I want to make a difference.”
“This is so pointless.”
It doesn’t take much to be a splash in the pan in the world of ministry. Maybe you are incredibly gifted. Maybe you deliver the best sermons your church has ever heard. Maybe your voice can stand up against the best of the best.
But the truth is, all the best leaders have one thing in common: consistency.
Good leaders show up for the small things just as much as they show up for the big things. Good leadership means handing in reports on time. It looks like sending out scheduling requests to a ministry team. And it most certainly looks like encouraging your team and praying unceasingly for your leadership. Yes, you may have those times where you deliver a Spirit-filled message that God laid on your heart, or you may get to take part in leading stadiums in powerful anointed worship, but leadership is not always the spotlight. Leadership is grit. It’s perseverance. It’s doing the trivial, mundane tasks because the little things ARE the big things.
In Nehemiah 3, I’m sure Shallun would have preferred to do something much more ‘important’ than repair a fountain or a pool. I could easily see him throwing his arms up and saying “What’s the point? How does this build the Kingdom of God?”
Centuries later, in this same pool, Jesus would heal a blind man and demonstrate His divinity (John 9:7). What may have seemed like a menial task to Shallun, God used for His purposes and glory.
So keep going. Work hard. Be consistent. Show up on time. Don’t chase the spotlight and be faithful in the little things. God may just be using you for the biggest miracle this generation has ever seen.
Written By Rachel Ernst
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