Cargo Clearance

Who then is the faithful and prudent slave, whom the master has set over his household to give them food at the proper time? Matthew 24:45

After a month-long of clearing up the godown in our Chennai office, we have learned a good number of important spiritual lessons in the process. Two years ago we imported the Holy Bible, Recovery Version from USA for distribution in India. For that, we had rented a 2BHK house for a temporary godown. Right after the Bibles and other books arrived, Coronavirus struck India. Since then, we were not able to distribute the books and Bibles that we imported.

Last month I had a strong feeling that the godown needs to be cleared up, and the book be distributed all over India. After weeks of fellowship and consideration, we decided to empty the two godowns in Chennai. For this, a serving couple went to Chennai to help. As the serving ones were clearing up the godown, we learned new things in taking care of the literature service.

Firstly, we learned the importance of being a proper person in taking care of our assigned service. Faithfulness and diligence stand out as key characters one needs. In the way the books were handled, one's character has been exposed. A good number of books had been spoiled due to termite and rat infestation. Stocking and inventory management needs an overhaul. All this is a matter of character. 

Secondly, the burden to be one with the ministry and being absolute to it is a great matter in the literature service. One cannot stand on two boats, one leg on a full-time service and the other leg on business. Besides, the unique ministry we are involved in cannot be mixed with another ministry. The one publication in the one ministry for the one work in the one Body must be strictly maintained. Otherwise, unnecessary trouble would erupt out of such service.

Thirdly, there is a need to be in sweet coordination with all the fellow serving ones. Oneness is the key to all the blessings in the New Testament. If one cannot coordinate in one accord with his coordinator, his service is finished. 

These are the three main lessons we learned through the recent cargo clearance of the books. From the physical things, the Lord has taught us spiritual lessons to all of us, the serving ones. Besides this, I also learned a lesson of not pointing out others' weaknesses and expose them openly. Though photos and videos of the serving ones' apparent weakness and failure in maintaining the godown have been sent to me, I took it to heart myself and considered how to handle the matter with the right spirit at the right time. There were feelings that erupted due to the evidence of negligence on the part of the serving ones, but I must be careful not to react in my natural man. Rather I learned to commit all things to the Lord in prayer and fellowship with my coordinator on how to help the serving ones to learn his lesson.  

After prayer and careful consideration, we had fellowship with the concerned serving ones today. Point by point, we brought it to fellowship, with much exercises of our spirit, taking Christ as the Head in every matter of fellowship in the atmosphere of prayer. The Lord graciously led us through all the points, on the one hand letting the serving ones know where things have gone wrong and how it can be rectified and on the other hand, shepherding him to go on in his service and improve from all things that he lags behind. In this way, we spend over three hours fellowshipping. After this long fellowship, we all prayed together and the matters were fellowshipped thoroughly and resolved. Though there were some offenses and hurts as the points were brought to the open in fellowship, later, everything was calmed down. Thus, the spiritual lessons learned with a sober mind.

This experience is like undergoing a major surgery in a physical body diagnosed with a cancer tumor. Though the operation was painful, it was worth it. The outcome is good health, strength, and long life. Therefore, I also encouraged the serving ones to look to the Lord for His mercy and grace, that we all would be preserved in the literature service all the days of our lives and that the Lord would bless our service as our being is dealt with and become a proper vessel that can command, contain, and multiple the blessings of God.

What precious lessons we have learned from the cargo clearance exercise! May the Lord preserve and bless all the serving ones in the literature service!