By: Jonathan Jenkins

As I was leaving the office one day last week, a young man was changing his oil in the church parking lot. At first thought, I wanted to tell him he could not do that there. This thought was quickly replaced with the reality that an approach like that may not be best. Instead of telling him to handle his business elsewhere, I offered kindness and asked if I could help.

It turns out, he needed a smaller bucket because his bucket was too big to fit under the car. I quickly ran inside and found a bucket and a few other items and offered them to him. He was very thankful, and with a smile I introduced myself and invited him to worship.

A simple and kind gesture opened the opportunity for me to invite someone to worship. Sometimes, that’s all it takes to allow God to work in someone’s life—a little bit of grace with a side of kindness. After all, it only cost me a bucket, right? There are many examples in Scripture of ordinary items used to the glory of God.

1.         Moses and His Rod (Exodus4:1–5).

2.         The Widow’s Oil (2 Kings 4:1–6).

3.         Davids Sling (1 Samuel 17:38–50).

4.         A Boy and His Lunch (John 6:5–13).

5.         Dorcas’s needle (Acts 9:36–39).

What’s your bucket? Use what you have to glorify God. Like in the case of Moses, God will give you confidence that He is with you. Like in the case of the widow, even when it’s not a lot, God can sustain you when you are obedient. Like with David’s sling, to others it might not look like much, but if you will use it for God’s Glory, God can help you defeat some great and mighty things that stand before you. Maybe you’re like the boy and his lunch, offer what you have and watch God show you that it is enough. Lastly, like Dorcas, if you will use your talents and skills to help in the kingdom, God can use you to make major impacts on those around you.

Use your bucket! Use what you have. God will bring the increase.

Author: Jonathan Jenkins