God in the Mundane

Church, when it began, had a system where they helped widows, says Acts 6. I heard about a church in Chennai where they take special care of the widows and poor people at their church. They have a low-price shop where people can go and get some clothes they need. Isn’t it beautiful?

Acts 6 says there were complaints as the Hellenist widows were neglected in the daily distribution. Hellenists (or Hellenistic Jews) were Jewish Christians whose primary language was Greek and who had adopted Greek culture. They were Jews whose families had lived abroad in the wider Greco-Roman world before returning to or visiting Jerusalem.

And to solve the issue of serving the tables for these neglected people was given to Christians who were filled with the Holy Spirit, people with good reputations, and people of wisdom. This is not the mainstream ministry where a stage is given like a preacher. But this is a place to humble oneself and serve.

In the year 2019, my mom started a pizzeria, and for some time, I helped her. I waited tables, cleaned it, received feedback, and sometimes cleaned the vessels too. It was the time during Corona, and we lacked staff. I know for sure it takes a heart of humility to do that. It requires wisdom. It requires the help of the Holy Spirit.

We prayed over tables, prayed over the food we prepared, and prayed for people who came to dine with us. And God miraculously worked in our pizzeria one day when a couple came, and at that time, one of them struggled to breathe. But on entering our pizzeria, they felt the presence of God and were immediately delivered from the sickness. They later shared this testimony with us.

Here, verse 8 talks about Stephen, who was selected as one of the persons to serve. It says, “And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people.”

How beautifully God works through people in the mundane works they do.

And about Stephen, another verse is there. It says when people who wanted to accuse Stephen looked steadfastly at him, they saw his face as the face of an angel.

Hey friend, the Bible is talking about real people here, real church-going Christians here. Stephen was filled with the Holy Spirit, he did miracles, his face looked like that of an angel, and in the next chapter, we can see the remarkable bold speech of Stephen in the face of death.

The same can apply to us too. May God adorn us with bold speech and wisdom, a spirit to serve our fellow brothers in faith. May people experience miracles when we serve them, when they enter our homes, our offices, our restaurants. May God overflow through us.

Dear God, bless us with Your overflowing Holy Spirit. May He touch everyone we meet, everyone we serve. Give us the wisdom to speak Your words. May people who meet us see Your heavenly presence in our faces. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.