For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
(2 Cor. 10:12)

A few years ago, Loretta and I took my grandson, Elijah, with us to Australia. Although he was very young, seeing people worship the Lord in a foreign land helped to develop his desire for missions. It’s important for us to train young people and expose them to the power of God and evangelism.

Recently, Elijah returned from a youth mission trip. He is a good Christian young man with a call of God upon his life. His Facebook page is filled with Christian quotes and scriptures and he has a heart for missions.

Although my grandson attends my church, the mission trip was actually sponsored by another church in our community. The fact that he went on a mission trip with another church in the community may have bothered some, but actually I was quite encouraged. As I looked through the pictures of the work they had done and heard of the mark they had made on the community in this foreign land, I thought to myself, “This is my beloved grandson, in whom I am well pleased!”

Churches should work together. In fact, that is God’s plan. In God’s kingdom, the entire body of Christ works together for the same goal with each member doing its work for the benefit of the entire body and the head, who is Jesus Christ (Eph. 4:15-16).

If you are doing what God has told you to do, it doesn’t matter if you are teaching a Sunday School class of ten or pastoring a church of ten thousand, you are where God wants you to be, doing what He wants you to do, and that will bring peace. Churches should never be in competition for members. I remember one time when I heard the Lord speak to my heart and tell me that the people in my church were His sheep and that He had paid the price for them.

We know that warring among our members is what the enemy wants while showing love among ourselves and working together as a body is what the Lord wants. Your eternal rewards will not be based on the number of people who attended your church, but instead upon your obedience to His Word and your yielding to the guidance of His Holy Spirit.

There were times when Jesus had tens of thousands of followers and there were days when He only had His disciples, but He was no less Jesus and His anointing was not determined by the size of the crowd.

So today I want to encourage you. If you are doing what God has instructed you to do, then do not allow discouragement or the values of the world to distract or derail you from the goal. God placed in your heart a vision and whether you are in the first few steps of your vision or near the completion, as long as you are obedient to your call, you can rest in the knowledge that God is well pleased.

Never allow yourself to compare yourself to other members of the body. Remember, each member is different in their calling and purpose. But with each member working together, the body of Christ will complete the mission before heading home.