Volunteering for Service
by Edward A. Smith
via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 18 No. 1, 31 March 1992
As a young man, I often considered joining our nation’s all-volunteer military. Even though the pay was not great, the benefits and security certainly seemed to outweigh the chances of ever being involved in a major conflict. Reserve duty seemed even more rewarding, as it allowed me to train and be paid part-time while pursuing other goals.
Like many reservists, I did not fully appreciate the responsibilities that such a system entailed until Operation Desert Storm. I admire the courage and personal sacrifice that those who answered the call were forced to make. But I also recall news reports of men and women who had found the time to train a few hours a month, but refused to serve when called to active duty because the demands were suddenly too great. These service people had forgotten the meaning of being a volunteer.
In writing about the kingdom to be established by Christ, David wrote,
"The Lord shall send the rod of your strength out of Zion; rule in the midst of your enemies! Your people shall be volunteers in the day of your power ..." (Psalms 110:2-3 NKJV)
If we are God’s people, then we are volunteers. No one forced us to believe in Jesus; we were not dragged into the waters of baptism! What, then, does it mean to be a volunteer?
Be Enthusiastic
In social and civic groups, there are often people who volunteer, and people who are "volunteered" (drafted, coerced, blackmailed, etc.). Those who truly desire to do the work are enthusiastic about it. They find the time to devote to it, no matter how busy they may be, because they believe it is a worthwhile endeavor. They genuinely enjoy the task, and they share that sense of enjoyment with others.
Christians sometimes seem to be more in the "volunteered" category; duties are fulfilled out of a sense of obligation rather than a sense of desire or enthusiasm. Paul commanded the Christians in Rome to be "fervent in Spirit, serving the Lord" (Romans 12:11) - literally to be "glowing" or "boiling" (Strong). Our service to God is not to be apathetic, but enthusiastic.
Give Your Best
When a person is committed to doing something enthusiastically, they are willing to give their best. Business managers recognize that those in their workforce whose sole motivation is a sense of obligation will give only what they consider to be enough to "get by". The fear or threat of job loss will motivate them to do only the minimum necessary to keep their job. When the fear or threat is too burdensome, the employee will quit.
John tells us,
"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. We love Him because He first loved us" (I John 4:18-19 NKJV).
Those of us who only serve God out of fear, rather than love, cannot give our best because we are tormented; we will only give what we consider "enough" to alleviate our fear. Like the fear-driven employee, we may find the fear too burdensome and be tempted to quit. When we are made "perfect in love," we will not only endure, but we will give our best.
Get Others Involved
I know of a man who sincerely loves his profession. He loves it so much that he invites people to consider it for their own. He loans them reading material and invites them to his office to see what is involved, which often sparks their interest. As far as I know, he receives no reward for attracting others; he simply shares with them what he loves to do.
People who volunteer for things they love find a purpose in their work - one they're eager to share with others. They often recognize the great need for others to volunteer, knowing that there will always be enough work. In Matthew 9:37-38, Jesus told His disciples,
"The harvest is truly plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest" (NKJV).
As volunteers in the kingdom of Christ, we should acknowledge the need for additional volunteers. If we are enthusiastic and love what we are doing in His service, we will be motivated to get others involved as well.
