Love Serves
testimonial
In the human body every organ and part serves
Growing up, one of my brothers
a use. The body would not be able to function if
was profoundly retarded. He
it were a mass of cells that were all alike. Being
couldn’t even speak. I felt like I was
divided into groups that are functional units
the only one who could understand
means that all the parts can cooperate. Large
him. Now, being in small groups,
groups of people can accomplish things that
I see how much we all need to be
individuals would never be able to do.
understood -- whether or not we
Think how many people had to work
know how to speak. Small groups
together to get people to the moon! Yet such
are a wonderful opportunity to
large projects can only be accomplished by
really pay attention to each other.
dividing them into many small tasks that can be
– Small group member
done by small groups working in coordination
with each other.
Many small groups in large congregations are focused on specific uses,
such as boards, committees, maintenance crews, musical groups, and many
others. Small groups give people in the church opportunities to do good for
their neighbor. And doing good is one of the main functions of the church.
The external of the church consists in the devout performance of rituals, and
in doing works of good will. (Secrets of Heaven 6587.3; see also 4766.4, 6299.3,
Apocalypse Explained 785.5)
There are some charitable tasks that large groups can participate in
together, such as large fundraisers where everyone gives money, or collecting
food at Thanksgiving. Many other uses can best be done by small groups that
work in a variety of ways on a variety of tasks that all contribute to the goals of
the congregation as a whole.
When Moses tried to minister to the whole congregation of Israel it was
too much for him, and his father-in-law Jethro advised him to choose leaders
of tens, leaders of fifties, leaders of hundreds and leaders of thousands. On a
natural level a pastor is a leader of 50, 100 or 1,000, and really needs the help
of the leaders of tens (small groups).
On a spiritual level, the meaning is that the Lord (represented by Moses
and Jethro) does not need any help, yet the Lord still gives angels ministries.
He acts indirectly through heaven not because He needs their help but in order that
the angels there may have functions and duties, and therefore life and happiness in
keeping with the duties and services they perform. This accounts for the appearance
to them that they act independently; yet they perceive that what they do comes
from the Lord. (Secrets of Heaven 8719)
Just as Moses’ small groups represented opportunities for angels to
minister, small groups in the church today provide opportunities for lay people
to engage in useful service.
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