From the tribe of Levi God raised up a priesthood to shepherd his people. The priests were responsible for facilitating the temple worship and for teaching the people. When the commitment of the people started to wane therefore it was often because the priests were disengaging from their calling and neglecting their responsibility. God puts a lot of weight on human responsibility. This goes back to God’s commitment to empower human beings to rule over the earth (Genesis 1:26-28). We were created in God’s image which means we are to reflect and represent God to the world and to each other. That’s a big responsibility. It really matters therefore whether we fulfil our calling or not. If you decide to disengage from the responsibilities God has given you, then it will have an adverse effect. God is committed to allowing the dominos of that adverse effect to fall because he always honours his decision to empower us. This level of empowerment that is given to each of us, as new covenant priests (see 1 Peter 2:9), means that our choices matter. If you neglect your family, your church, and your part in the mission of Jesus, then people suffer. Don’t ever think that no one will notice if you disengage. God notices and people are deprived of what you should have given. Don’t ever pull back and let other people do what you are called to do. Don’t ever think that your part, however small, doesn’t matter. The ‘body of Christ’, the church, only functions properly “as each part does its work” (Ephesians 4:16).
Reflect on what your part is in Christ’s mission and recommit yourself to his purpose.
Read Malachi 2:1-9
