Blessed are the poor and small,
for God will lift and bless them all.
Blessed are the hearts that break,
for love remakes what pain may take.
Not self-made, but grace-engraved,
each soul by mercy gently shaped.

There was once a man named Harold. Harold thought he was a saint. He had heard in church about the saints and was convinced that he met all the criteria. One Sunday, he heard the pastor say, “A saint is not one who is served, but one who serves.” Harold took that literally. He ran to the church and volunteered for everything. He cleaned the pews. He swept the floors. He set everything up just right and when he was done, he left a Post-it note on each pew that read: “Everything is clean, thanks to Saint Harold.” When the priest saw the notes, he was a bit troubled. He went to Harold and said, “You know, saints never have to advertise.” To which Harold replied, “Pastor, you’re exactly right. I’ll just wait until everyone notices.” The moral of that story is simple: God sees what man does not. God sees the heart of the so-called “saint,” and how it is shaped. I fear that today there are too many wannabe saints advertising themselves, so I pray, “Lord, don’t let me be one too.”

Today we celebrate All Saints’ Day, this high feast day when we remember the men, women, and even children whose names are written in the great “hagiography” of the Church, the list of those whose lives bore witness to God’s grace. Most of them never advertised who they were. In fact, many died before they ever knew they would be called saints. They were canonized, honored, and remembered only long after they were gone. Harold, for all his misunderstanding, at least got one thing right: he wanted to serve and that’s what God calls us all to do. We are always asking for volunteers, for people willing to serve, to keep the work of the church alive but this leads to a deeper question: If saints are leading the church, what should the church’s true priority be? You may have heard of Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church in California. He once said that the mission of the Church can be remembered through the word PEACE, a reminder that our work as God’s people is to spread God’s peace throughout the world. That, dear friends, is what we are meant to “advertise.” Not ourselves but Christ’s peace.

In the early centuries, the Church met in homes. Today, we worship in beautiful sanctuaries, with clean floors, soft pews, and painted walls. Yet the purpose is the same: To learn what it means to be a saint.
Christ calls us to go into the world and advertise His peace, a peace that comes only through Him. Our role is to sacrifice, even our own comfort, for the sake of others’ souls. We need more Bible studies, more prayer teams, and more intentional acts of faith. For these are what teach us that word: holiness. A saint is holy. I’ve heard people use that word sarcastically, “Oh, you’re so holy!” and I’ve heard it spoken with reverence. I hope that we aim for the true meaning: to come before God knowing that we are part of the great procession of saints.

You’ve heard the hymn: “One was a doctor, one was a queen, one was a shepherd on the green…” and others were torn by wild beasts, like Daniel, who was thrown in the lions’ den. These stories remind us that the world can be beastly and yet God sends us as ambassadors of His peace to subdue what is dark and destructive. Do you feel empowered by God, by Christ Himself, to be a saint? To be holy and true? To shape the lives of others? I love that line: “Each soul by mercy gently shaped.” I would even say, “Each soul by mercy is God-shaped.”

My father, a Presbyterian (and yes, I believe there are saints among Presbyterians too!), has always served faithfully. He’s cleaned floors, fixed furniture, repaired air conditioners and never for recognition. He simply says, “If I don’t do it, who will? What will happen to the church if no one does?” That’s the quiet service of a saint. Not advertised, just lived. But I believe that Christ is shaping him, just as Christ shapes you and me. Our service doesn’t make us saints; it’s through our service that God molds us, forming us into His purpose.
Once, two girls in our church, showed me something they were playing with; a green glob. They handed me some and asked me to shape it. I tried, but no matter how I pressed or pulled, it wouldn’t hold a shape. It kept slipping away. It made me think: how frustrating it must be for God when we refuse to be shaped. Saints allow themselves to be molded, resisting the “slime” of this world that tries to deform us.

When we yield to God’s hands, He makes something beautiful, something everlasting. He shapes us into the jewels of His crown, reflecting His glory through how we speak, walk, love, and serve. Yes, we need more Bible study. We need more prayer. We need to be ambassadors of God’s peace.

I truly believe: God blesses the poor and the small.
God lifts the brokenhearted.
But if we try to make ourselves saints, it all becomes slimy.
Let God do the shaping. Let grace do the molding.
For each soul, by mercy, is gently, and godly shaped.