During the month of November members of the Word Made Flesh team share reflections on partnership and challenge us to move beyond our current understanding of what it means to be partners with one another to the glory of God and for the advancement of the Gospel in word and deed.
I have been ruminating on what the Word of God says about partnership and how well we can reflect the same in our Word Made Flesh Community. As I understand, a partnership would involve understanding, sharing of concerns, being in agreement, including agreeing to disagree. It would require openness to one another’s weaknesses and strengths, and facilitate dignity and self worth.
When I glimpse through Scriptures, I can see a thread of partnerships running from Genesis to Revelation. I have found that they focus on two major aspects:
Essential Process in Fulfilling the Mission of God
Partnership is ordained by God as a mission which propels Gods will. When we look at the life of Moses we find that when God chooses to work through an individual, God usually chooses unusual partners in his plan for fulfillment of the mission of God. Each of these individuals are utilized in their own capacity (with what ever they have to offer) in advancing the mission of God.
Take for example Moses’ parents who were ordinary slaves in the land of Egypt. By faith they hid the baby boy who was to be deliverer of the huge nation of Israel. We also see the sincere midwives, who feared God and therefore were not afraid to save the Hebrew babies. The princess of Egypt, one of the most influential and unlikely persons, is used by God in rescuing Moses and in giving him a much needed royal upbringing which would turn out to be an asset in his role in leading the children of Israel towards Canaan. Even Miriam, with her intercessory role, partners in the mission by pointing out the child’s mother as his nurse to the Princess. We then see the powerful partnership of Zipporah who helped deliver Moses by circumcising his sons.
Therefore, partnerships are remaining faithful to our place in God’s plan, and giving what we are capable of giving to the fullest extent possible, to fulfill God’s mission. The partners chosen are unique in their own ways in bringing out the beautiful blessings that enrich the relationship and in bringing into fulfillment the will of God.
Empowering
Partnership is empowering each other to accomplish the will of God in our respective positions. Elijah was a powerful prophet of God, who singlehandedly managed the whole band of heathen prophets at Mount Carmel. He stood his ground and with his sincere prayer brought fire down from the living God. Yet, sooner than expected he is despairing in the wilderness pleading with the Lord to take his life. Repeatedly we see Elijah being encouraged, empowered and affirmed by ordinary people undertaking ordinary day to day tasks.
Cherith, the widow of Zarephath, had nothing to offer him except for a handful of meal and a jug of oil that was almost empty, yet her provisions restore him back to strength. Mutual empowerment is beautifully brought out in this portion of scripture. This desperate widow, having lost her son, looks to Elijah for restoration and empowerment. Elijah prays for the restoration of life and we see mutual empowerment in action. Mutual empowerment does not focus on the quantity as much as the quality, or the essence of what is brought into the partnering relationship.
We at Word Made Flesh are called to enter into this beautiful enriching, empowering relationship ordained by God to enable each of us to fulfill the mission of our Lord.
Angelene Samuel is the Program Director for Word Made Flesh Chennai and the Home of Happiness. She has been a faithful participant and support to her parents since her childhood, and now as an adult has taken on official responsibilities.