Be The Best Violet You Can Be...

This little story that I am going to share and expand was taken from a book, Streams in the Desert by J.B. Cowman.

A story is told of a king who went to his garden one morning, only to find everything withered and dying. He asked the oak tree that stood near the gate what the trouble was. The oak said it was tired of life and was determined to die because it was not tall and beautiful like the pine tree. The pine was troubled because it could not bear grapes like the grapevine. The grapevine was determined to throw its life away because it could not stand erect and produce fruits as large as peaches. The geranium was fretting because it was not tall and fragrant like the lilac.

And so it went throughout the garden. Yet coming to a violet, the king found its face as bright and happy as ever and said, “Well, Violet, I’m glad to find one brave little flower in the midst of this discouragement. You don’t seem to be the least disheartened.” The violet responded, “No, I’m not. I know I’m small, yet I thought if you wanted an oak or a pine or a peach tree or even a lilac, you would have planted one. Since I knew you wanted a violet, I’m determined to be the best little violet I can be.”

Others may do a greater work,
But you have your part to do;
And no one in all God’s family
Can do it as well as you.

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God has given us abilities, skills and talents to do things that He wants us to do. He has given us the capacity to add more knowledge into our arsenal. We are called to do one thing but to do that one thing in different ways. So do not be envious of others who seem to have “more” and who seem to be able to do “more”. You have your own ability to work at your own capacity.

Philippians 4:11
I have learnt to be content whatever the circumstances.

Paul wrote that above sentence while being locked up in a prison cell. He was a simple man; he had neither riches nor special talents. He was your ordinary guy and if he was here today you could actually mistaken him for a beggar or maybe a retard because of his outer appearance. But what he had in him made him stood up among the rest in ministry. He was the forefront man who spearheaded missions and also church planting. He was the man who wrote more than half of the New Testament books. He was the man who met kings and queens and was hunted by oppositions group. He was basically THE man.

But how many of us recognize those who were with him and supporting him throughout all the years of ministry?

There were people in the background doing what they were good at. Paul had friends who helped him to flee from his enemies. He had friends who were in the prison with him praying and singing. He had friends who spend hours at home praying and intercessing for him. He had people providing him with money to eat and continue his ministry.

Whatever Paul accomplished, he did it with the help of other people who were doing what they were called to do. At the end of the day when they meet God, those who did the background work will still get their rewards and praises.

So be what you are called to be and do what you are called to do.

In His Service,
Zlwin Chew