As Jesus spoke with the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well near Sychar in the middle of the day, His disciples returned from the city where they had gone to buy food (John 4:8, 27). They marveled that He was talking to a woman, and they were probably just as surprised that He was talking to a Samaritan woman. After she left and went into the city to tell others about Jesus, the disciples urged Him to eat something (vv. 28-31). He said, "I have food to eat of which you do not know." And they wondered if someone had brought Him food while they were away (vv. 32, 33).

Obviously, the disciples did not grasp what Jesus was saying, so He went on to tell them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work. Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, then comes the harvest'? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest." (vv. 34,35) Jesus was trying to make the point that He had more important things to do than worry about eating, and they were things that could not wait. As He spoke with the disciples, the woman was talking about Him to her friends in the city, and they were preparing to come to see and hear Him. The disciples were concerned for physical needs, but Jesus saw a more important task--reaping souls that were ripe for harvest.

We sometimes read these stories that reveal the disciples' inability to grasp the Lord's intent and wonder how they could be so oblivious, but I hope we realize that we, too, are sometimes just as oblivious to the work of harvesting the souls around us. Sometimes, we overlook simple tasks that, while not directly involved in the work of saving souls, contribute to the ability to preach the gospel and enable lost souls to hear it. Allow me to mention a couple of things you may have overlooked or purposefully ignored for the sake of less important things.

In the Realm of Teaching.

Teaching the gospel is, first of all, every disciple's responsibility. And it is something that, for the most part, is done outside the building where we regularly meet for worship and Bible study. But many of us don't seem to be able to recognize those who are candidates for teaching, or where we can find them.

Lift up your eyes. Take a look around. You work with the lost, go to school with the lost, shop where the lost shop, go to the doctor where the lost go to the doctor, eat in restaurants where the lost work and eat, and a few [or more] of your family members are probably among the lost. You might even be married to one who is lost. Jesus said He came to this world to "seek and save the lost," (Luke 19:10) and we, His disciples, should be doing the same (cf. Matthew 10:25).

There is the task of teaching Bible classes when the church comes together on Sundays and during the week. During each assembly period, we have five different classes that cover all ages and help them to get to know God and His word. But maybe you've been coming to the worship assemblies for so long you don't even think about the work that needs doing in this area. Since it is all accomplished, and usually without noticeable delays or problems, you don't even think about the preparation and work that must be done beforehand. You come, sit in your pew, sing the songs, take a bit of the unleavened bread and a sip of the grape juice, say "amen" at the end of someone else's prayer, listen somewhat attentively to the preacher's lesson, greet a few people, and return to your comfortable home to get on with your life. Often, you're oblivious to the many things you could be doing to assist with the local church's work.

Lift up your eyes. If you have children who come with you, or if your children are grown, you know there's a need for someone to teach them. If you do not have children, you surely must know this because you attend Bible classes where someone is teaching you. [You do attend Bible classes, don't you?] A lot of hard work goes into assembling the material; the teachers prepared diligently to present the material in a way that is appropriate for the class's age and spiritual maturity. Yet, many brethren have grown to take this for granted, somehow believing that someone will always be there to do it. Someone else, that is.

Please take the time to consider how you could be contributing to the work by taking an active role in the teaching that goes on in these Bible classes. If you have never taught, volunteer! The elders will involve you as best they can, and will, if you wish, accommodate you by assigning someone to sit with you during the first round. If you've taught in the past but have long since retired from teaching Bible classes, please reconsider your responsibility to the local church. We younger folks could learn a lot from you who have years of experience, and we would appreciate hearing from you and seeing you also participating in the work. I hope none of us think that we assemble so someone else can do all the work while we sit back and reap the fruit of their labors.

In the Realm of Encouragement.

This may sound trivial to some of you, but those who are on the receiving end of encouragement will tell you it is an undervalued task. Perhaps, when you attended the worship assembly, you arrived so late or left so early you didn't hear it announced, and you didn't notice that some brothers and sisters could use some encouragement.

Lift up your eyes. Here, and probably at every congregation in this country, we hear of brothers and sisters in Christ, unbelievers who are visitors or strangers to us, and people in other places who could use a good word of encouragement from us. Many are struggling with family problems, spiritual weaknesses or temptations, or even material needs that you may not have noticed.

Lift up your eyes. A few months back, someone in the congregation sent me a note anonymously. All it said was that he/she appreciated the work I was doing. That little note did wonders for me, and I wasn't even looking for encouragement! [Whoever you are, thank you.]. I wonder: How many others in the congregation would appreciate such a note. No doubt, the elders could use a word of encouragement to let them know you appreciate their stand on difficult issues. I imagine an elderly brother or sister in Christ could use a word of thanks for their years of faithful service, and a word of appreciation for the times they come when their old, tired bodies would rather stay in bed. Even some of the teenagers wouldn't forget if you sent them a word of thanks for their spiritual mindsets and godly examples; in fact, I expect every Christian would be edified by some small word of encouragement--and you could be the one who wrote.

I urge you to take a greater part in the work of the local church, but more importantly, I urge you to take a greater part in the lives of your brothers and sisters in Christ with whom you regularly worship and study God's word. As long as the work continues, there will always be a need for laborers (cf. Matthew 9:37, 38) and you could be just the person to assist with that work.

Lift up your eyes, take a look around and see what good things you could be doing, what brother or sister you could encourage, what class you could teach, and what part you could take in the successful work of the congregation

And then do it.