water the camels too

I just had the privilege of hanging out with a growing church in Bellingham, Washington. Great volunteers committed to reaching Whatcom county for Jesus. As I got to know this team, it was apparent each area (nursery team, preschool team, elementary team, midweek team) cared about each other, but they weren't necessarily caring for each other.

We chatted a lot about a unified approach to ministry as well as going the extra mile for each other regardless if they served on the weekend or during the week. The story of Abraham's servant finding Isaac's wife really stood out.

12 Then he prayed, "O LORD, God of my master Abraham, give me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. 13 See, I am standing beside this spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. 14 May it be that when I say to a girl, 'Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,' and she says, 'Drink, and I'll water your camels too'-let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master."
15 Before he had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah, who was the wife of Abraham's brother Nahor. 16 The girl was very beautiful, a virgin; no man had ever lain with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar and came up again.
17 The servant hurried to meet her and said, "Please give me a little water from your jar."
18 "Drink, my lord," she said, and quickly lowered the jar to her hands and gave him a drink.
19 After she had given him a drink, she said, "I'll draw water for your camels too, until they have finished drinking."

What if we all took that approach in children's ministry? What if we decided to really communicate with each other? Sometimes when we try to talk to each other about what is happening it's the "just tell me what I need to know so I can go," kind of communication, we do just what we need to do, but we don’t take the time to truly understand each other.
We need to find a way to get into each others circles, really try to understand what's happening in each area and find a way to water the camels too. We are all on the same team serving the same God. It's time to find a way each and every day to go the extra mile, with our teams and with the children we serve. People have good intentions, but it's time to do the unexpected, show up, care about each other....."water the camels too!"