by Kathy W. (EC Laguna)

I was meditating this morning on the importance of all the servants of God. The images that came to me were those of a wealthy powerful person in a huge mansion. Even the most powerful among us need assistance to exist well. Without someone to scrub the mansion's floors and dust and maintain the grounds, the mansion would fall into disrepair. The master needs the servants. The servants need the master. A wealthy man left to do all the cleaning of the mansion would soon fall apart. The beautiful castle would become an eyesore.

In service to Christ, none should be disdained. All the servants are important. The warriors on the front lines fight the battles, but the water bearers and the cooks provide necessary sustenance, without which, the battle would be lost. The cooks and the water bearers would be crushed without the warriors. Without the laughter of the children, and the comfort of the mothers, the seriousness of the battle would be too much to bear.

The warrior slays the dragons and doesn't always realize the importance of stopping to inhale the fresh aroma of a spring morning. It is, perhaps the poet's calling to convey this need to he or she who battles. The song of the psalmist relays the battle cry, the message of victory, the comfort in loss. The shield of the warrior protects the psalmist from the spears and arrows and keeps the song alive. The psalmist tempers the warriors rage and brings clarity. The water bearer and the cook bring sustenance to all. The clothing of the warriors and the cooks and the water bearers, etc need to be laundered. The children must be fed, the mothers must be comforted and must still the cries of the children. All must be fed. All need protection. All need inspiration. All need to laugh to still the rage of the enemy. All need to drink the water of life. No one is frivolous. All need to hear the song. All are needed. There are no extras. No one is unimportant. No one's gift should be belittled. Scripture says, "Woe unto him who touches God's elect". And the elect might just be the one who scrubs the floors.

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