Genesis 10:8 “Cush was the father of Nimrod, who grew to be a mighty warrior on the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the Lord; that is why it is said, “Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the Lord.” NIV

I bought a spare chair awhile ago. It sits in a corner of my kitchen and for the most part doesn’t do a lot. It came with a lovely hand woven green chair pad, which the cats really enjoy lounging on. And I do stand upon it at times to reach something high up in the pantry. And once in awhile we have company and someone sits on it. But mostly I simply enjoy its beauty and simplistic lines and am glad to know that it is there for me to use when the need arises.

In Genesis we read the account of Noah’s sons, Shem, Ham and Japeth, who themselves had sons after the flood. In fact they had many, many sons, but only one of them, Nimrod, son of Cush, son of Ham, grew to be a mighty warrior on earth. There was something about Nimrod that stood out above and beyond all the other as he and he alone, is specifically mentioned in Scripture in a way the others aren’t.

As I was reading this passage, it occurred to me, how too often as Christians, we also want to be like Nimrod. We want to do something outstanding for God, something beyond the average. For none of us wants to be the spare chair so to speak. None of us wants to be the one who feels that they’re not doing much of anything for the Kingdom, compared to someone else.

And yet I love my unique and lovely spare chair. It brings me joy and delight and it has its own purpose, just as each and every one us as God’s children bring joy and delight to our Heavenly Father’s heart and have our own purpose which He has created for us to achieve within the Kingdom. It may not be to be in the limelight such as was Nimrod. It may not be to do big things for the Lord, to stand over and above the average crowd. But as Sister Theresa once said: we may not all be called to do great things, but we can all do small things with great love. And as the apostle Paul penned in 1 Corinthians 13:13: And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. NIV

So today if you are feeling like the spare chair, the one who doesn’t seem to do much for the Kingdom or receive much if any recognition for what you do contribute, take a moment to thank God for making you who you are and blessing you with the gifts and talents you do have. Then determine within yourself, through God’s strength, to put all of your being into everything He places before you to do. And then do each small thing with great love, the love of Jesus, for indeed it is the greatest of all and does not go unnoticed by Him who watches.

Prayer: Father God we thank You so much that You love and delight in all of Your children, whether they be famous in the eyes of the world and the church or whether they be spare chairs. You have created each and every one of us and given each and every one of us purpose in life. May we be open to the guidance of Your Spirit this day that we might fulfill that purpose, be it large or small with the great love of Jesus within us. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.

 Lynne Phipps Atlin, B.C.