Working in an office, living in an obscure village, we may feel that what we are doing is ordinary, mere routine. We do not seem to be having an impact on what we think are the great epoch-making events of human history. But everything that we do in the Lord is extraordinary. Everything that we do in the Lord has an eternal weight. And that is why we must give our lives fully and work with all our being, using our intellect, hands and feet to the greatest ability to serve the King and to make His kingdom known.

Let me conclude with an excerpt from an ordination address given by Michael Ramsey, former Archbishop of Canterbury. In this charge to men who were being ordained to the pastoral ministry, he said:

“Amidst the vast scene of the world’s problems and tragedies, you may feel that your ministry is so small, so insignificant, so concerned with the trivial. What a tiny difference it can make to the world that you should run a youth club, (or we could say, be a staffworker for a university group), or preach to a few people in a church, or visit families with seemingly small result. But consider, the glory of Christianity is its claim that small things really matter, and that the small company, the very few, the one man, the one woman, the one child are of infinite worth to God. And let that be your inspiration. Consider our Lord Himself. Amidst a vast world with its vast empires and vast events and tragedies, our Lord devoted Himself to a small company, to small things, to individual men and women. Often giving hours of His time to the very few or to the one man or woman. In a country where there were movements and causes which excited the allegiance of many - the Pharisees, the Zealots, the Essenes and others - our Lord gave many hours to one woman of Samaria, one Nicodemus, one Martha, one Mary, one Lazareth, one Simon Peter. For the infinite worth of the one is the key to a Christian understanding of the many.

It is to a ministry like that of our Lord Himself that you are called. The gospel you preach affects the salvation of the world, and you may help your people to influence the world’s problems. But you will never be nearer to Christ than in caring for the one man, the one woman, the one child. His authority will be given to you as you do this and His joy will be yours as well.”

~ Vinoth Ramachandra, Thy Kingdom Come