Saturday, December 22, 2001

REWARDS

"Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet's reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple--truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward." Matthew 10:40-42

I was new to the ministry, new to Annual Conference boards, and I was eager to participate fully. We had been discussing a strategy for addressing an issue before us for a seemingly long, long time. I finally said, "Well, I have an idea. Why don't we ________?"

There wasn't even a pause in the conversation. Others had been "standing in line" with their own ideas, I suppose, and needed to get their hearing as much as I did, and I sat back in my chair and thought, "Am I invisible? Can they not hear me because I'm new, or because I'm a woman, or what?"

And then a man on the board said, "You know, Sandra said something a minute ago that I think we need to listen to. She said, '_______'. And I think it's a good idea." I was instantly "in love" with this man who not only heard me, but also made sure that I was heard by others by lending me his voice.

Now, looking back, I know that it would have been a common experience to have someone in the group repeat what I had said without any reference to my speaking. He was, and still is, an enlightened person who didn't need to look good or smart or important. He didn't need to grab the idea and run with it. He, instead, used the status he had with that group and helped them to hear me, and helped me to feel that I was part of the group. I have been forever grateful and forever aware that his kind direction of everyone's attention to my small contribution is a good way to introduce a new member to any board or any group.

Later, I heard this said another way: "There is no end to what a person can accomplish if you don't care who gets the credit."

I think this is truly the essence of what Jesus is saying to his disciples as well. I reach out or down to those who need a hand up, and the reward is not that I look like a good person. The reward is that I gave a hand up to someone who needed it right then.

This isn't to say that others will recognize us, wonderful people that we are, for what we have done. Sometimes we will give a boost to a person who turns out to be far greater than we can ever hope to be. Like Mozart's father, we fade into the background. But if our reward lies in what we have done rather than the recognition we have gained, we can soar in our appreciation for having been able to play this small part in the Commonwealth of God.

Sandra Herrmann

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