As a young girl my very first job was to be a paper carrier for our local newspaper. It was a natural fit as my father was the circulation manager. It was his responsibility to get the newspaper from the printing press to each home in our town. This included everything from picking up the paper in his cube van to hiring and training paper carriers as well as a lot of other steps in-between.

I was around nine years old when I got my first paper route. I delivered approximately 222 papers twice a week. The newspaper was an important thing in our home. It was not just something that brought us local events, information, adds, announcements, and all that’s included between the pages, but it provided an income and a way of life for our family. People depended on my dad to get them the News and my dad depended on me and the other carriers to do our part in getting the job done.

As I reflected on this time in my life and the things I learned through that season it reminds me of our job as Christians. Salvation given to us through the sacrifice of Jesus’ life given on the cross provided forgiveness from our sins making our relationship right with God. This is what we as Christians refer to as the “Good News.” But this news is not just for us! This news is to be shared with everyone. In fact one of the very last things that Jesus said while on earth to his disciples after he rose from the dead but just before he ascended into heaven was this.

“Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone” Mark 16:15 NLT

Today when my children head out the door I make sure that they pay close attention to my last words. The last instructions I give to them are the most important. I often repeat it myself or get them to repeat it back to me, making sure I know they have heard. I imagine this was how Jesus may have felt as he gave the disciples this last command. It was important news, he had sacrificed everything and certainly did not want it to have been in vein. Gods plan now was in the hand of these carriers of the “Good News.” Jesus had invited them to Co-Mission with him.  

One day after I had grown up and moved away from home I came back for a visit. I remember my dad receiving a phone call, he seemed pretty frustrated. He hung up the phone and told me to grab my coat; we were going on a detective mission. So I followed behind him quickly. It wasn’t until we were in the truck and on our way that he informed me he had suspicions one of his newer carriers wasn’t completing his job. The phone call Dad had received informed him that a few unhappy costumers called the office complaining they’d not received their paper for the week.

We headed down a couple back alleys and soon ended up at a grove of trees lined with bushes. We hopped out of the truck and headed to investigate. Sure enough it didn’t take much time before we found a pile of papers dumped under the cover of the foliage. Dad wasn’t a happy camper that night and I’m sure the carrier wasn’t too happy either after my Dad got done meeting with him and his parents.

As I wrote this story a song my mom taught us in Sunday school came to my mind. Many of you have likely heard it or sang it over the years. 

“This Little Light of Mine”

You see the second verse of that cute little song was exactly what that mischievous paper carrier needed to hear when he was being tempted to stash the papers in the bushes;

 “Hide it under a bush or no,

I’m gonna let it shine,

Hide it under a bush or no,

I’m gonna let it shine,

Let it shine,

Let it shine,

Let it shine.”

I wonder if this song came to my Dad’s mind that night as he and I lugged the wet soggy papers out of the bushes and into his old truck?

Being a paper carrier was by no means an easy or glamorous job, believe me I can see why that kid was tempted to stash those papers under those bushes! But it was important job and my dad was counting on us to do what he had trained us to do. The people of our town where counting on us to bring them the news they needed.

Our heavenly Father has invited us into this very work with him, he has commanded us to be carriers not of a simple newspaper; but of the “Good News.” He is counting on us to help him complete this work. It doesn’t matter who you are, if you are a student, teacher, farmer, office manager, stay at home parent, bank clerk or pastor. If you are a follower of Jesus you have the important task of carrying the “Good News of Jesus Christ” to your generation.

Let’s co-mission with our heavenly father