Jesus never stuttered or hesitated or worried about asking and calling people to serve
So when I hear the word "volunteer" I get giddy! Yep! The jumping-up-and-down kind of giddy.
I remember when I first started volunteering at church. I just wanted to give back to those who served me. To be a part of doing what others had done to love me into the Kingdom. So, called to see if any help was needed with babies. While I didn’t have any church experience, as a Mom, this was one thing I could do. I was assigned to the new class of 4th and 5th graders called Club 45.
I freaked out a bit because I was just given my first bible only a couple weeks earlier. Me? In a Sunday School class and even more ridiculous, teaching in there? I did not grow up in church at all! In fact, I considered myself a Buddhist until I met Jesus at 40 years old. I was reassured that another couple would be in the class as well. Whew! Okay, I can be their assistant and help with snacks, right?
But preparing for the class and sitting with kids to talk about God taught me about His love, His truths, His grace and opened my eyes to applying scripture to my daily life. These kids were teaching me more than I had to offer. I would never guessed how volunteering would impact my life and my walk with Jesus.
I thought serving was giving up an hour on Sundays and maybe another hour during the week to prepare.
But it was more. I became part of something bigger and grander than me.
I became part of a group of people that formed friendships, bonds and stories to last a lifetime. We came with our baggage, our individual circumstances, education, experiences and heck, we even looked different!
But it was one of the most important and life changing decisions I have ever made.
Which is why I am passionate about helping everyone find their place to serve!
If someone can discover that thing inside them that says; "THIS IS WHAT I AM MADE FOR!" then we, as a people, as a community, as a city, as a nation and as a world would be unstoppable. We would, without a doubt scream the very thing that Jesus meant when He said in John 13:34 -
"A new commandment I give to you,
that you love one another:
just as I have loved you,
you also are to love one another."
This thing called serving or volunteering.
It's more than you think it is...
It's more than begging for volunteers -
It's more than pointing volunteers where to stand or what to do -
It's more than giving them a t-shirt and say go.
It is the BEST thing as part of the journey to grow into the people that declares the gospel out loud and in the flesh, here on earth.
Because volunteers are not serving just to further your mission.
Volunteers are the mission.
Seems too simple?
Sounds just like Jesus to me.