Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada reminding you that every Christian has a ministry.
And welcome to “Joni and Friends”. And, yes, remember that every believer—absolutely every one of us, every disciple of Jesus has a ministry. That ministry may be up-front and obvious, something everyone in your church knows about. Or your ministry might be something a little more subtle, a little more understated, but just as powerful—and influential? Well, that’s the ministry of Isaiah Nicklas. This little boy has sparkling eyes and a shock of red hair. And, when I first met him at one of our Family Retreats, he was only a toddler. Not only that, Isaiah has Down syndrome. Now, I know you are wondering, "How can a kid with Down's actually have a real ministry?"
Well, I will let his older sister, Mary McKenna, share exactly what her little brother's ministry is all about. You see, Mary McKenna and Isaiah are covenant children—that is, their parents covered them in prayer long before they were ever born. Mary and Isaiah are part of "the household of faith" in the Nicklas family. Well, while sitting at the dining table at Family Retreat with Mary, who was feeding little Isaiah, she told me how their parents encouraged her and her siblings to explore the individual ministry that God has blessed them with. Mary McKenna was feeding Isaiah his lunch, and as she spooned his food, she turned to me and said, "All of us in our family have a ministry; I mean, Joni, just look at Isaiah here!" Then, as if on cue, this kid turned to me and gave me the biggest, brightest, happiest grin. At the same time his eyes sparkled, his cheeks got like two little apples. And, friend, I do not know how to describe this, but the smile of that child just, well I'm telling you it glowed. Really, it was different. It was heavenly. And it gave me such joy to just look at him. That’s when Mary McKenna said to me, "See what I mean, Joni? Isaiah has his own ministry and it is a smile! He has a ministry of smiles." And you know what? She was right. She was spot on. That little boy's face glowed with heaven-sent happiness when he smiled. Actually, that cute kid with Down syndrome, his ministry can be best described by 2 Corinthians chapter 4, verse 6, where it says, “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ."
Isn't that something? Even a little child with Down syndrome can have the light of Christ. It can show up in a glowing, glorious way through the face, through a smile. And it makes me ask, "What is your ministry?" It doesn't have to be something big or up front or well known. It could be something as small and seemingly insignificant as your smile—but I say, “seemingly insignificant,” because there's no doubt about the power and the impact and the influence of a smile that shines forth out of weakness, or limitations, or disabilities, like Isaiah’s. Please remember that today if you are tempted to frown your way through the morning, afternoon or evening. Don’t do it friend; don’t miss the ministry your smile can have. Because people all around you are watching — especially if they know that, you are a Christian. So, next time when you see them looking your way, make it a ministry moment and flash them a smile.
Oh, by the way, my story about Isaiah is fitting today given that October is National Down Syndrome awareness month. And if you’d like to see a photo of Isaiah and that great smile of his, I’ve posted one on my radio page today at Joniandfriends.org. And watch the video I posted, too. You’re going to love Isaiah’s smile so much you are going to want to post it on Pinterest. It’s all there for you at joniandfriends.org.
© Joni and Friends, 2013
Compliments of Joni and Friends
PO Box 3333 Agoura Hills, CA 91376