I made a Facebook post
several years ago about an experience I had in Wal-mart with Anslie and Ethan. Anslie was around eight years old and Ethan was six. I was impressed with the attention it received and recently was thinking about it.

I had run in to pick up a few items and was not wanting to take a shopping cart out of the store and fool with returning it, so I divided the bags between the three of us. On the way out the door and into the parking lot, Anslie and Ethan began arguing over whose load was more important. Anslie boasted that her load was superior to Ethan’s because it was heavier. Ethan assured her that his was because he had more bags. Actually, neither account was true. Each bag was necessary for us to have dinner that evening. I had given the bags to the child who I knew could get the bag to the truck in the best shape, without destroying it or losing any of the items.

Anslie has always been a strong, rough girl. While Ethan is strong, he is more careful and considerate of taking care of things. Anslie’s bag was very heavy, filled with canned goods. I knew she would probably bang the bag against everything she encountered. But with canned goods, she would not destroy dinner.

Ethan’s was lighter, but had things that were more delicate. I knew he would be more careful to protect the contents. As I listened to them argue I thought about how silly they both sounded…arguing about the bag of groceries assigned to them.

I gave them the assignment based on my experiences with each child. It was determined by the way God had made them. God spoke to me in that moment. Sometimes we can get caught up in our assignments that God has given us. Maybe we think teaching that Sunday School class of three year olds is far less superior to leading the worship service. Or serving as the koolaid pourer and cookie fixer at VBS is not as important as the teaching position or whatever OR maybe the reverse is true. Maybe we think we are more superior than someone in different “calling”. However, for the Kingdom to be fulfilled ALL positions are needed. The bottom line is to do YOUR part. That way, ALL of the “groceries” will make it to “heaven” one day!

“For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”
Romans:12:3