Who are Laborers in the Harvest?

I love this verse in Luke:

Luke 10: 2  And he said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.

First, who are the laborers?  They are few.  Why?

'The Laborers' is not synonymous to 'full-time missionaries'.  As followers of Christ we should all be laborers in the harvest.  The harvest is men, women, children, neighbors, co-workers who are all in need of a relationship with Jesus.  There's no small harvest either, it's plentiful.  There are many people who not only need Jesus, but many that the Lord is preparing to hear the gospel and respond!

The harvest is the Lord's.  But He uses laborers.  We have the awesome privilege of being used in the process of reconciling people to their heavenly Father.  God has given us the ministry of reconciliation.  (2 Corinthians 5:17-20).  He has entrusted the most critical message ever to us.  I don't think I would have done that, but luckily I'm not God.  What a responsibility.  But what a privilege.

Why are the laborers few?  Because it's hard.  And for various reasons.  Fear of rejection, fear of looking like a fanatic religious person, we might offend someone, don't have enough time.  I know all of these reasons affect me.  How about you?  But we should pray earnestly that the Lord of the harvest would send laborers into the harvest.  Everyday people, building relationships with those around them and also intentionally sharing the ministry entrusted to us - reconciliation with our Creator.