Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it. John 14:12-14

World renowned Infectious Disease doctor, Paul Farmer, helped to eradicate tuberculosis in Haiti and in Lima, Peru. He is the doctor’s doctor, the one others call when they do not know what to do about a seemingly incurable infection.

He was once stewing over an e-mail that he received from a student who had written that he believed in Paul’s cause but didn’t think he could do what Paul did. Farmer said aloud to his computer screen, “I didn’t say you should do what I do. I just said these things should be done.” (From Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder)

There is much need in this world. The harvest is truly plentiful. There is a need for compassionate laborers who are not afraid to roll up their sleeves and fearlessly do the work that they have been assigned to do.

In God’s economy, everyone is assigned a specific ordained skill-set or talent to be used for the purpose of reducing the burden of pain that is part of this world’s reality. That is the cause of God. The scriptures also testify that those who know the good they ought to do, should do it. James 4:17 Everyone is not called to eradicate cancer or tuberculosis. And no one can do everything and be everywhere. But everyone can do something to make the world a better place. Even the smallest act of kindness moves the earth’s needle towards a more compassionate place.

Acts of compassion and grace may very well be the “greater works” that Jesus said we would do.