VOLUNTEERISM

SHEPHERD TO SHEEP 

VOLUNTEERISM 

(Psa 110:3)  Your people shall be volunteers In the day of Your power… 

Has life been dull for you lately?  Have you felt down in the doldrums?  Is your daily existence lackluster?  Then you need to get outside yourself and start serving the Lord by serving others.  It’s time to step up to the plate and volunteer your time to make this world a better place.  You complain about this and that in the world but what are you doing to make a difference?  And don’t say you don’t have time because you do.  You watch a lot of dumb-head TV programs.  Think of how you could use that time to help change our world! 

Life was not meant to be selfish and “it’s all about me”.  What a ticket to a depressed life!  Life was meant to look upward and outward.  We are to look up to the Lord in worship and outward to others in service.  Paul said it this way:  I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (Acts 20:35)  Wow, what a verse.  Doesn’t that say it all?  The happiest people I know are the ones who volunteer their time toward a worthy cause.  The saddest people I know are the ones who are too cautious and stingy with their time.   

In the song of Deborah there is a stinging rebuke of the tribes that did not obey the summons to go to war against the enemy of Israel.  It says there were great resolves of heart (they thought about getting involved) but they sat and they stayed.  Forever their hesitancy was recorded in the Bible for all to see and take warning.  Then for the tribes who came forward to serve it says they jeopardized their lives to the point of death. They put out and they made a difference! (Judges 5:15-18)  You and I will be judged when we stand in the presence of the Lord.  Did we serve the Lord and others or did we serve ourselves?  Did we hide behind the excuse of “I’m too busy” or “I’m too involved with my family” or “I’ll pray about it?”.   

I can’t tell you the joy I have had over the years in the ministry working with willing volunteers.  You put the need out and precious people come out of the woodwork to give of their time and resources.  And I think you get more out of people when they volunteer then when you pay them.  They can’t believe they have been chosen to serve the Lord in some task.  They don’t feel worthy and they feel so honored for the opportunity to serve.  They don’t want to be paid.  They just want to serve the Lord with gladness (Psa 100:2).  They also benefit by meeting so many people like themselves who are serving the Lord as a volunteer and out of that pool come meaningful and lasting relationships.  They serve and then they go home and fall asleep with a smile on their face as they thank the Lord for the privilege of serving and for the rich feeling in their hearts that all the money in the world could not come close to matching.   

Has the Lord been laying something of service on your heart lately?  I vote for volunteerism!    

Louie