By Bill Aukamp, who serves with InFaith in South Dakota

Sometimes it seems hard to justify what I do as being ministry. I’m thinking of some of the more mundane tasks that might simply be considered errands. Not long ago, I spent the better part of a day running errands. I had received two phone calls. One couple had ordered paint for their remodeling project from the paint store here in Rapid City. Another caller wanted to borrow my karaoke system. These callers live 100 miles and eight-five miles from Rapid City, respectively. The paint needed to be picked up before the first couple would be able to get to town. The karaoke system needed to be taken to a drop-off point on the east side of town so the caller wouldn’t have to travel an additional twenty-five miles to my place to pick it up.

We here in the west do that sort of thing often – drop things off at third-party waystops in an effort to save time in travel. Usually it isn’t a big deal, but this day things weren’t going simply. I had banking business to do in Rapid City, so it wasn’t like I was having to go out of my way to accommodate these favors, but when I got to the paint store and told them I had stopped to pick up paint for my friends, they had no clue what I was talking about. It took twenty minutes for one of the store clerks to figure it out and another ten minutes to mix the paint. The next task turned out nearly the same: The party I was to leave the karaoke system with was not in the office, either, and wasn’t expected back until after lunch. It was 10:30.

I was starting to feel sorry and a little bit aggravated. What should have been simple little stops were suddenly turning into complicated, time-consuming favors. I decided to leave the karaoke system in the lobby with a note and the assurance of the receptionist that it would get to the person it was intended for. I walked out unconvinced. As it turned out, just as I was getting ready to back out of the parking space, the guy I wanted to see pulled up behind me and blocked my exit. I get out of the car, and he called out, “What are you doing here?”

I explained I had dropped off the karaoke system that he was supposed to see that our mutual friend would get later. He asked what I was up to for the day. I replied, “Well, so far, losing a lot of time and patience running errands for friends.”

He chuckled and said, “Been there, done that before.”

We chatted a little more, and I crawled back in the car. As I pulled out of the parking lot, a tune started to wind its way through my mind. I hadn’t heard it or sung it in several years. It goes, “If you want to be great in God’s kingdom, learn to be the servant of all.” It just rumbled through my mind all the way to my next stop, which was to buy a wedding gift for a young lady who had once been one of my VBS kids.

This tune just kept playing over and over as I finished up the rest of my errands. As I headed home, my irritated attitude softened and I thanked the Lord for reminding me that sometimes ministry is doing mundane and even frustrating errands for those we love and serve.