The last three days we have been looking at the hymn “Hark the Voice of Jesus Calling.” There is another stanza that I would guess many of you have not heard. It was an original stanza of this hymn written by Daniel March. It was not included in The Lutheran Hymnal, Lutherean Worship, and even though there are two versions of this hymn in the Lutheran Service Book, it does not appear in either one. We are going to look at it any way.

If you cannot cross the ocean, And the heathen lands explore,
You can find the heathen nearer, You can help them at your door;
If you cannot give your thousands, you can give the widow’s mite,
And the least you give for Jesus Will be precious in His sight.

According to the “Handbook to the Lutheran Hymnal” this stanza was omitted from our hymnal because it was feared that people would misinterpret it to say that you didn’t have to give as God had blessed you, you could give just a little and God would be satisfied with it. That was the opposite of what Mr. March intended, but it was feared some would misunderstand.

I think it is a great hymn writing – and so appropriate for today. It reminds us that unbelievers are all around us, right at our door. We don’t have to go to them – they are here! And it speaks of the power of mites, something the ladies organization  of my church body knows a little bit about. The Lutheran Women in Mission have collected “mites” since 1942 and funded mission projects around the world with millions and millions of dollars. This is over and above what they give to their local congregations, and those are indeed “mighty mites.”

Each has his or her part in the great Commission, as leaders or otherwise. You need to do what God has equipped you to do, what God is calling you to do. You do this in the context of knowing who you are.

A number of years ago my congregation had a surprise party for me that included a roast – not a pot roast, but a roast of me! One of the speakers was my father-in-law, a retired preacher who spent his entire ministry in the same parish in West Texas, and he was quite the storyteller. He said that he was confessing to God one day and he asked God, “You know that son-in-law of mine? I know he confesses his sins, and I would like you to tell me what he told you.” God said, “Let me get back to you on that tomorrow.” So the next day he asked again, “God, can you tell me what his sins are?” And you know what God said? “I don’t remember.”

That is what God says to each of you in His Word, in Baptism and in Holy Communion. “I don’t remember” – because Jesus paid for your sins. And that same one who has forgiven your wickedness and will remember your sins no more is the one who is calling you to share that message with others.

May that be what you do and who you are as the redeemed and forgiven children of God.