November 2007

W

e often think of ministry as a calling to preach or teach the gospel. We realize, however, that everyone is not called to the gospel ministry and yet they, too, minister. There are ministries all around us on a daily basis if we simply look for them. The person at the subway station passing out the free newspaper, who greets you warmly with a smile and greeting, is a minister. The salesclerk at the grocery store and the station manager at the bus terminal are ministers. The doctors, nurses, cabbies, newspaper deliveryman, the maintenance personnel, the homeless guy on the corner, are all ministers, for their ministry resides in the small things of life. A smile, a listening ear, a gentle touch, a kind word, a nod of understanding can make all the difference in the world at any given time in life. And so, this month we pause to admire those individuals in our lives that minister in the small, seemingly insignificant ways that make our lives richer, brighter, happier, and easier.