We attend a congregation that asks the membership to speak from the pulpit occasionally.  A topic is given a few weeks prior, but the speaker prepares their own thoughts to share utilizing scripture, literature, their own experiences, the experiences they've observed others having, previous messages or sermons from church leadership, etc.  I find there is always something in these mini-lectures that feeds the soul and bolsters one's faith.

What my brain is mulling over though, is a recurring theme that became very obvious today while I was nursing in the mother's lounge.  "I have to speak today."

Usually it's couched in the humor utilized in the opening remarks, but it's there all the same.  I have to speak today.

They don't have to.  They are provided an opportunity.  Yes, a request is made for them to speak to the congregation, but they don't have to.  They can say no.  They can pass on the opportunity to speak upon His Word and His Works within their life; to fellowship one another across the pulpit.  They don't have to speak--they get to speak.

Perhaps they need my mother's friend to give them the nudge she gave her kids when they'd complain about taking care of their responsibilities or other bits of life by whining:  Do I have to?

"No.  You don't have to.  You get to."

It reminds me of my Sunday School class when I was ten or so.  As children our Sunday School classes are by age, and then all the children's classes convene together towards the end of the meeting.  Each week one of the classes would speak, share a talent, and cover the opening and closing prayers for the meeting. 

My class had four kids (including me).  There were four responsibilities: opening prayer, closing prayer, talent, and speaker.  I got tired of the awkward silence when it was time for my class to determine who was volunteering for which because nobody wanted to be the speaker; so I volunteered.  Every single time when nobody else spoke up.  Which means that by the time I was a teenager I had a lot of practice for when I was called upon to be a youth speaker at the pulpit. 

I didn't have to speak as a child.  I didn't have to speak as a teenager.  I had the opportunity to and I could have declined.  But I chose to take each opportunity.

Those opportunities were of great benefit to me.


What are you missing out on because you have to, rather than you get to?  Do you have to read your scriptures, or do you get to read your scriptures?  Do you have to go to church, or do you get to go to church?  Do you have to prepare food for your family, or do you get to prepare food for your family?  Do you have to eat together, or do you get to eat together?  Do you have to spend time with your children, your spouse, your parents, your siblings; or do you get to?  Do you have to go home, or do you get to rush home?  Sometimes verbage is everything.