If you cannot speak like angels, If you cannot preach like Paul,
You can tell the love of Jesus, You can say He died for all.
If you cannot rouse the wicked, with the judgment’s dread alarms,
You can lead the little children To the Savior’s waiting arms.

A young pastor, who was having difficulty with his sermon presentation, went to listen to one of the preachers in a neighboring town known for his oratorical skills. This preacher was a master at holding the congregation’s attention. He started off his sermon that day by announcing, “Some of the happiest moments in my life were spent in the arms of a woman who is not my wife … Yes, some of the happiest moments in my life were spent in the arms of a woman who is not my wife … that woman was my mother.” He then preached a wonderful sermon on the virtues of Christian mothers.

The young preacher was duly impressed and decided to file away that illustration for a time when it would come in handy. A few months later, he was preaching and noticed he was losing the attention of his congregation once again. He suddenly recalled that message of the skilled old preacher and blurted out, “Some of the happiest moments in my life were spent in the arms of a woman who is not my wife …” At this point, the young preacher had the undivided attention of everyone in the church. “That’s right,” he continued, “some of the happiest moments in my life were spent in the arms of a woman who is not my wife …” He saw all eyes intently focused on him, and he froze up and listened in horror as he heard himself continue, “but I can’t for the life of me remember who she was.”

Not everyone is gifted with preaching ability. But not everyone is to be a preacher. God will not ask you to do anything without first giving you the ability to do it. Read that last sentence again. Each of you have been by God and equipped to do the work He wants you to do. And that work is to share Jesus, using whatever talents and abilities you have to share the message of Christ as Savior is how you do your part in fulfilling Christ’s great commission.