Where Should I Serve?

A few years ago, my sister Martha and I helped with food preparation for Meals on Wheels in our local town. Almost all of the other workers were over 75 and no longer as sharp as they could be in the kitchen. One day we were making lunch and someone was adding a seasoning and then realized that some people on the delivery route were not supposed to have salt. So the lady carefully looked over the ingredient list and, relieved, said “Okay, no salt in this – just sodium.� Heh heh.

This story illustrates the need most of our local towns have for young volunteers! The majority of people in our communities are working and as I have delved into various service opportunities, I’ve discovered that as a result of this, most of those volunteering around town are over 75. One of our primary tasks as daughters at home is that of serving others. In this time of life, we are uniquely able to do this because of our small number of outside commitments, our high levels of energy and creativity, and our free time. Let’s do some brainstorming to come up with various areas we could serve in and help us to think outside the box when we are attempting to find ways to help others.

Outside of our own homes, where we’ll assume we’re all already serving significantly, one of the most obvious places to find people who need help is in our own neighborhood. Elderly people could often use help with yard work, getting the mail, picking up groceries, or getting a ride to a doctor’s appointment. Older people or people of any age who lives alone often can’t or don’t cook much and really appreciate food of all kinds, especially when it’s made well and served with a garnish. Often when we make large desserts or big meals, we run some next door, next door the other way, and across the street! Doing this can get you more than you bargained for, though – one time we brought chocolate orange rolls to the people across the street, only to be asked the next day if we would make 10 dozen for their senior citizen’s party! Try putting flowers on the tray or send along a cheerful napkin. Sometimes just showing up at the door for a friendly 10-minute chat can mean a lot. You may discover other ways to help them while you’re at it; our next door neighbor now can’t fall asleep if our upstairs hallway light is not left on to assure her that we are home!

Next take a look at your local church. You may not want to teach Sunday School or volunteer for Vacation Bible School, but how about looking for the often-neglected areas of need? Is anyone planting flowers around the building? Could the pianist use a break once in awhile? Do the pews need dusting? I’ve discovered at my church a whole list of shut-ins who aren’t able to get to church or anywhere else. I picked one and started visiting her retirement home once a week. We go out to lunch together and it’s her only meal all week where she gets to pick what she wants to eat! After that we do some shopping, chatting all the while, and she always tells me how much she looks forward to her only break from the home. Quite possibly, you could find some small areas of need either at the church itself or among those in the church.

Another area of great need is in our towns. Like I said, many organizations are desperate for young volunteers! Check into the Red Cross, Meals on Wheels or other programs to feed the hungry, local food shelves, consignment stores for people with low incomes, crisis pregnancy centers, nursing homes (how about volunteering to lead a weekly hymn sing?), etc. Think about what your interests and talents are and consider where the greatest area of need is in your area.

Another place to check for service opportunities is national organizations that may have a local chapter, especially branches of Christian ministries. I’ve done lots of volunteer work with International Students, Inc., who works to introduce foreign students studying in America to the gospel while helping them learn about American culture. Through this work, I’ve met wonderful friends from all over the world that I am still in contact with even after they return to their home countries. My family has also volunteered with the Joni and Friends organization for people with handicaps and my sister Hannah is a hospice volunteer. It’s also good to pay attention to needs you may hear of elsewhere that you could fill. My sisters and I have spent time with a family in Virginia who have 6 children, one with a disability, and the mother was undergoing treatment for cancer last year. You may know someone who knows someone who could use the helping hands of a cheerful girl!

Chapter 4 of In My Father’s House has this to say, “To few is the choice so easy, the field of duty so wide, that she need puzzle very long over what she ought to do. Generally – and this is the best and safest guide – she will find her work lying very near at hand: some desultory tastes to condense into regular studies, some faulty household quietly to remodel, some child to teach, or parent to watch over. All these being needless or unattainable, she may extend her service out of the home into the world, which perhaps never at any time so much needed the help of us women. And how many of its charities and duties can best be done only by a wise and tender woman’s hand? Here occurs another of those plain rules which are the only guidance possible in the matter – a Bible rule, too: ‘Whatsoever they hand findeth to do, do it with thy might.’�

Like this quote says, generally our field of duty is nearby. However, if our home is well taken care of, spending time helping others outside of our comfort zone is an excellent use of time. There is so much to be done in the world and often the work is best done by the loving tender heart and hands of a woman.

A few pointers - #1) Whenever you are engaged in service, do it as an outreach of your family. My dad often says that if he didn’t have a job, he would be out helping people, but in his place he sends us as his messengers. A good way to remind ourselves of this is to bring along other members of our family when we are helping somewhere, if possible. Don’t get trapped into the mindset that “I� am doing these great works, but instead remind yourself that “I am here on behalf of my family as its extension.� In the same way, all ministry we do is as emissaries of the Lord Jesus Christ. The glory is His as we serve His people. The hands and feet of the body of Christ don’t get praise for themselves over what great looking body parts they are. All we do should reflect honor back to the Lord. #2) Don’t waste time looking for prestigious or rewarding things to do. Find something and do it, no matter how dirty, how thankless, how time-consuming it is. Jesus ate with sinners and tax collectors and we ought not only minister to those who don’t need a physician. #3) Always, always make sure your home responsibilities are fulfilled before you plan extra outside activities.

We’re not out to earn brownie points. Living at home after high school is not glorified girl scouts where we attempt to earn our nursing home badge, our teaching badge, and our cooking for the neighbors badge. We are simply to enjoy a lifestyle of Christian service, as we are commanded by Christ. Sometimes it takes creative thinking and lots of telephone calls in order to discern which doors the Lord would open for us, but that’s okay. Most of the time it will involve true, hard work, and often it will be the kind that gets your hands dirty. We don’t live for ourselves, but others, and what better way to demonstrate that than by active, constant service? Remember the words of Jesus in Matthew 25:40, “And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these, my brethren, ye have done it unto me.�