During WWII, many of England’s coal miners wanted to enlist and fight on the front lines. Winston Churchill acknowledged their patriotism but reminded them of how valuable their work was to the cause of the war. “Some must stay in the pits,” he said, “and others must stay in the army. Both are equally needed, and for both there is equal credit.” Looking ahead to when children would ask their parents what they did in the war, Churchill said, “one will say, ‘I was a fighter pilot;’ another will say, ‘I was in the submarine service’; … and you in your turn will say with equal pride and with equal right, “we cut the coal.”

As you serve Christ in the business world you might think your individual role will not mean as much on the grand scheme of things. That’s simply not the case. If you are willing to be led by God to do your part, regardless of the size of the task, God will use you in amazing ways. Most of the testimonies I hear from Christians include a lot of people who were not in full-time ministry but were willing to invest their time in someone else. Sure pastors and teachers play a part in many people’s conversions. But more often than not God uses friends, family members, coworkers and even complete strangers to reach others for Christ. In other words, the deal is usually not sealed by the fighter pilots of the faith like pastors and teachers. Instead it’s the men and women of God behind the scenes who make the biggest impact—those who are cutting the coal.

All the Lord asks of us is to be available and willing to be used by Him. That’s it. Nothing more. By being a witness for Jesus in the workplace you will impact others more than you realize. Continue to step forward in faith expecting God to bless your efforts in incredible ways. I encourage you to give your all to the task regardless of your role. As someone once said “your little is a lot when you give your all.” To come full circle let me simply encourage you with this: keep on cutting the coal!