Reporting for Duty

All true baseball fans will understand the significance of this time of the year. Spring training for Major League baseball teams is right around the corner, as they will be preparing for the season, which will begin in early April. Before the rest of the team begins their spring training, there is a day on which “pitchers and catchers report” to get ready for the upcoming season. Of course, there is a question as to whether or not there will even be a baseball season because of a labor dispute. Normally those words will excite a real baseball fan because it indicates the season is approaching.

3For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 4For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. - Romans 12:3-8

I can’t help but wonder what it would be like if the Body of Christ were like the pitchers and catchers. Suppose we were willing to report early. Suppose we were the ones who started work first. Imagine if we were to say, “I will be the first to report, the first to serve, to first to volunteer, the first to give, the first to sacrifice, the first to work.” How differently things would be in the Church and in the world.

I can imagine God hearing that His people were reporting for duty, even reporting early to get a head start on the work for the Kingdom, and God would rejoice. I can see the world looking on in amazement as God’s people were quick to serve, early to work, and eager to give. I can think of young believers who see more mature believers reporting for duty and following their role models. If we just decided to report for duty, different things would be in the Church.

The problem is not that we don’t know that we should follow in the steps of our Lord and Master. It is that we don’t think we will enjoy where those steps will take us. Jesus was not only the greatest leader, but He was also the greatest servant. The term “servant leader” seems to the world to be an oxymoron, but Jesus proves the opposite. The great Kingdom leaders of history have proven that as well. Servant leaders are the lead servants, the first to serve, give, and sacrifice. They are the first to report for duty. Whenever we are those who report first, with servants’ hearts, we can know that God is excited, and the Church and the world are impacted. It is time to report.