At first this passage looks like a long list of names that you can skip through quickly and get on with your day. But don’t leave too quickly, I think there is really something important here!
As our church grows we realize that there are smaller “communities” inside the larger church community. We identify them as families, since relationships are so important to us. These families all have one ministry in common, actually that’s what helps us identify what “family” each person is in. I thought this was a wonderful, original idea….until I read this passage!
David combined families in different groups around a particular ministry. One of those ministries was the worship team, and one group were gatekeepers, etc. Each group doesn’t translate well into the modern church, but you get the point. Family units worked together. And, if David recognized that there weren’t enough people in your family to complete the job…he combined families! That’s exactly what we do here! The only difference is that we don’t dictate what area you will serve in. We suggest that you “join” a family and serve with them.
Later in the reading, I see that they identified 24 different jobs that needed to be accomplished on a regular basis. So that no one would feel that preference was shown, they drew lots for each of the jobs. So if you received lot #1 you received job #1, and so on. There were far more men drawing lots than there were jobs….so many of them went home sad because they didn’t have a job at the church. What an incredible turn of events from today’s society! I was happi to see who got the 18th lot….
I spent a few seconds wondering what it might be like to draw a lot for your job. I don’t think there’s a chance to be promoted, because you are assigned to that specific position. You can’t quit. You can’t decide that you want to do something else and “cross-train”. At least, that’s what I imagined. I don’t know if I would like it very much, although I imagine some would find the whole concept very “freeing”. You simply do your job, the same job, every day, day after day after day….until you retire or die. I think I would rather have a job where the work changes at least a little from time to time. Preach one day, drive the tractor one day, rake seed and pick up rocks one day….you get the idea..
And then down to the musicians, who apparently were chosen by lot to serve a specific term. Maybe they took turns throughout the year, kind of like our children’s ministry rotation. Except if you didn’t show up at the appointed time, someone with a sword knocked on your door.
What lesson do I take from all of this? Honestly, I had to pause for a moment to consider it… okay, I’ve got it.
There was order in the church. David and the other leaders spent time planning and organizing and considering what positions needed to be created and staffed, and how each one would be filled. They apparently created schedules and terms of service. They identified training and standards and created a “culture of excellence” within the body. Everything they did is as contemporary today as it was back then. We shouldn’t think that planning in some way inhibits the movement of the Spirit. If God is in charge of the planning, then what difference could it possibly make, except to allow us more time to be creative, and more time to become excellent?
Organization, planning and oversight are an important part of worship, and I would direct those who feel otherwise to this passage.
Faithfully,
PR