It takes a village

     A while back, Dwayne was part of the funeral service. It was conducted in our home church. The church where we both spiritually 'grew up'. After the service, I saw and visited with many women that had impacted my life when I first started that growth process. If you were to ask them, I am sure they do not know how God used them to mature me. I remember when I attended my first women's Bible study. It was a weekly meeting called WOW (Women of the Word). I was in my early 20's and the women that led WOW was probably in their late 30's and early 40's. I watched them continually when I was in their presence. I so wanted to be a part of their group of friends. They were to me the epitome of a Godly woman. God used them to develop the desire in me to become a Godly woman, to minister to women, and to be for others what these women were for me. After seeing these women, I have been pondering the scriptures that states that some water, some plant, and some harvest. God has used many people in my life. Some watered my spirit, some planted seeds in my life, and some shared with me the harvest that God has created in my life. I can't begin to count the number of people that has impacted my life. Many years ago we were reminded of an African proverb that stated that it takes a village to raise a child. I think God uses a village to raise a Christian. If I had a sidewalk around my life, there would be so many hands imprinted in that cement.
     Today, I want to encourage you to think about the many people God has used in our lives to grow us. Also think evaluate your impact on other people. Are we watering, planting, or harvesting in others? Are we making a difference to someone? Every encounter we have with people makes a impact. It is good or bad, short term or long term, memorable or forgettable. Nothing humbles me away more than for someone I do not remember, to tell me that something I said impacted their life. What is forgettable by us isn't always forgettable to someone else. I pray that every day God opens our eyes to those He wants to touch by using us and I pray that we will be faithful to His will.

(Paul's response to those who he had ministered to)

Who do you think Paul is, anyway? Or Apollos, for that matter? Servants, both of us-- servants who waited on you as you gradually learned to entrust your lives to our mutual Master. We each carried out our servant assignment. I planted the seed, Apollos watered the plants, but God made you grow. It's not the one who plants or the one who waters who is at the center of this process but God, who makes things grow. Planting and watering are menial servant jobs at minimum wages. What makes them worth doing is the God we are serving. You happen to be God's field in which we are working.

1 Cor 3: 5-8

The Message