I have a confession to make. Get ready Mom because you’re going to like this one. I spend way too much time trying to decide what to wear when I’m getting ready to ….well when I’m getting ready for just about anything. Including ministry.
Before my mom nods her head right off in vehement agreement, I just want to remind her that she raised me.
As I was deciding between the pink cardigan or my spiffy orange jacket or my more subdued denim standby this morning, I was convicted once again with that familiar statement. No, the statement wasn’t “You’re spending too much time on what to wear.” The familiar voice always says something more along the lines of, “Kay, this is not about you!”
And indeed it’s not.
I’m going to my bi-weekly MOPS meeting where I serve as a mentor mom. That simply means that I’m with a group of moms but I’m the one who is generally about ten to fifteen years older, no longer wearing cute mini-skirts, certainly not pregnant, and my collar doesn’t have spit-up on it. I’m the one (along with the other six mentor moms) who they keep around in case they have a question like “How did you potty train your kids before they started school?” or “Do you ever get to go to the bathroom by yourself again?” or “What do you do when your child bites another child?”
When they ask me these questions I try really hard to think back that far and remember what I did. Then I just make something up that sounds like something James Dobson would say.
I love going to these MOPS mornings because they serve coffee and breakfast yummies and I get to sit around big round tables with young chicks and talk women stuff. ALL of those things really appeal to me. This is right up my alley.
That’s why I have to remind myself on these Mondays as I’m browsing through my closet and trying to find something half as cute as all the young things will be wearing that it is NOT ABOUT ME. It’s not that I’m naturally that self-centered. Ok, maybe I am. But the bigger dilemma is that the whole girly morning is just so fun and feminine that I honestly forget that I’m supposed to be serving and not being served.
This is a huge confession on my part. Please don’t judge me too harshly.
So, as has become my custom every other Monday morning, I am verbally reminding myself over and over and over that this is not about me. I say it as I get dressed, as I put on my make-up, as I take the dogs out, and as I watch the coffee drip ever so slowly. I say it to God several times in my prayers and talk about it with Him some more as I drive to the church. And this morning I’m even laying it out there for you.
Ministry is not about me. Praise the Lord, sometimes it’s so fun doing what you’re called to do that you forget that it’s even ministry. You forget it’s about serving and loving on others. You forget it’s about being sensitive to those around you instead of being the star of the show yourself. And you forget that it’s about more than just having fun and drinking coffee with cute young moms. It’s about listening for the unspoken problem, the broken heart, the insecurities, and the loneliness so you can minister a little understanding, some compassion and maybe, just maybe, a word of godly wisdom.
So this morning, like every second and fourth Monday morning, I’m trying to remember that it’s not about me – about what I’m wearing, who I get to sit with, what yummies I get to have for breakfast, or how wise I come off sounding. It’s about these sweet young moms. It’s about God being glorified and honored. It’s about service.
Do you have a hard time remembering that ministry is not all about you, too?
Oh, please tell me I am not the only one with this sick problem. If I am just make something up and make me feel better, for pete’s sake!
I’d love to know what you do to keep the focus where it belongs in ministry. Do you have an appropriate Bible verse, a simple prayer, or a mantra like mine? Or have you learned this lesson through a particularly memorable event? I’d love to know.
By the way, I went with the bright pink sweater over my brown cropped pants. Not that I’m dwelling on that or anything…
Oh Kay! I think we must have been on the same brain waves this morning!!!! My blog post this morning was about clothes as well!!!
In fact, I stayed away from talking about how I was almost late for church yesterday because I thought about each step of where people would see me (teaching the ladies class & standing on stage @ the keyboard) and how the lighting at both of those places would affect my outfit! Mainly, I wasn't too thrilled with how things are fitting lately! I too had to remind myself yesterday morning that those ladies want my heart and my time more than they want to see what I'm going to wear!!! It's just clothes right?
Today, when I read Judges 6:34 "the Lord clothed Gideon" – that became my prayer! That the Lord would clothe me in His outfit for the day! His outfit of love and grace – His outfit of strength and patience. Silly, I know – but it helped me!
I'm so glad to hear I'm not the only one with this problem! Growing up my mom always use to tell me it's not what's on the outside it's what's on the inside! So almost every time I stress about what to wear, I hear her voice. Amazing how something will trigger your mom's voice!
I love this–so cute! But also such a great reminder that it is so NOT about us. Unfortunately, I probably have the opposite problem of you–I spend too little time figuring out what to wear each day. As a result, I often wear the same thing two days in a row–it's just easier that way. 🙂
Um..yes I forget it's not about me quite frequently. And most recently it wasn't until I told God to "just do whatever he wanted to do with my gift" (as if he wasn't already doing that) that I got to do something really special with it 🙂 It was like he wanted me to let go of the "me" part of it…know what I mean?
I enjoyed reading your article and I could definitely relate to it! I often stand in my closet and wonder what to wear, who I will see, etc. You are right, it isn't about us. It is about what we can do help others, a good role model that God wants us to be, etc. It is what we have to offer from the inside that really counts.
My husband is sweet to remind me in a gentle way 😉 that when I'm stressing over outward things I am caving into the temptation of pride … even if I do try to tell him it's being concerned about platform etiquette, wearing my colors, not being distracting, etc. Seems he can usually nail my real motive … so uncomfortable. 🙂
LOL I feel that way…every morning I wonder how will I look..will it be Ok..It isn't about me it is ONLY an=bout God!
Thanks Kay!
Thanks for the confession, Kay. I'll go ahead and admit that you are lightyears ahead of me as sometimes I don't even realize that I'm not the only one on the planet. Sigh. We've such a long way to go! Glad we have a patient Father who loves us too much to leave us this way!
Sometimes I have to remind myself daily. Sometimes I have to remind myself every minute.