Brick layers call them "hod carriers," and they couldn't do their work without them.
The hod carrier, or "hoddie," serves in a supporting role to the skilled bricklayers. His duties include wetting the mortar boards, fetching bricks from the delivery pallet, and stacking the bricks on the scaffold for the bricklayer's use. Carriers transport these materials in a "hod", a three-sided box with a long handle and slung over the shoulder of the carrier. The baseline rate for a bricklayer is to lay 1000 bricks a day. If the hod carrier is serving a team of two, then he must move 2000 bricks. In the UK, the hod carrier also makes tea for his bricklayers. A good hod carrier allows the bricklayer to concentrate on what he does best--laying brick instead of wasting time and getting bogged down with the details.

So what does a hod carrier have to do with you and me?

I believe the role of the "hod carrier" is not limited to bricklayers. Though called by different names, every profession has them--the go-fer, behind-the-scenes, detail people who free up their employers to do their jobs and to make the organization work.

Take a church, for example. A pastor's most important job is to prepare and deliver his sermon. What if he had no one else to run the ins-and-outs of the church? He would get bogged down by the daily "mortar-mixing" of the church and would become distracted from what he's called to do.

This is also true for parachurch ministries. I receive numerous e-mails and other forms of correspondence from people doing work God has called them to, but these roles require money and lots of it. For those of us who have been involved in any form of fundraising, we know it's not called "fun-raising." When it's not part of our calling, raising support money is time-consuming, ineffective, and distracting from the job we're gifted to do.

That's why we get fundraising appeals. One such non-profit organization my husband and I support is Campaign for Working Families headed by Gary Bauer (garybauer@cwfpac.com). They are on the front lines of the political process (which we can't be), and they need donors in people like us (which we can be). God's work takes both. Which role is more important?

"There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. . . . there are many members, yet one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, 'I have no need of you'; nor again the head to the feet, 'I have no need of you.' No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor" (1 Cor. 12:4; 20-23).

It's not just the brick layer who creates giant brick buildings. The job couldn't be accomplished without hod carriers. Nor could the CEO of a company or the pastor of a church or the missionary in the field accomplish his or her calling without hod carriers--those doing the background, supporting work. Success requires both and keeps the resulting credit from going to just one.

No matter what brick-laying job you hold, find a place you can become a hod carrier--a supporting, not up-front role. Seek out a ministry or a mission or some other cause and faithfully support them. Pray diligently for someone pursuing his or her calling. Put your money behind your beliefs in this political season by supporting those on the front lines.

Be creative. Be obedient. Be faithful. Be a spiritual hod carrier.

Then be part of the success that results.