Voluntold

Habitat for Humanity volunteers, 2007 Seattle Fairmont Fair

I knew the Christmas Store was coming and had quietly kept from “making eye contact” beyond my annual commitment to do the shopping. Since I really do not like to shop, I look upon that as “over and beyond.”

Then the sweet wife of our Children’s Director stopped by as I was passing out cookies during our Wednesday children’s activities. Somehow she made her way through the squealing 3^rd thru 6^th grade girls (which is an outstanding feat in and of itself!) to talk to me.

“To me.” Not “With me.” Yep, she wanted to discuss the setting up and running of the Christmas Store. She made really good eye contact and explained that I had been “voluntold’ as a helper in the Store.

I love that word!! So many of us are not the first to step forward as volunteers – unless it’s something we really enjoy. Then we not only step forward, we often strong-arm other volunteers out of the way to do the things we enjoy the most. Not all jobs have people that enjoy them standing in line. Thus the word, “Voluntold.”

Think about the Bible stories that come quickly to mind – they were all voluntold, except maybe David and Goliath. David truly volunteered to fight the giant. Most of the other big name stories held back – Gideon, Jonah, Moses. Quite a few others didn’t volunteer, but answered the call rather quickly, as Jesus’ disciples did.

Paul really had to be voluntold!! Talk about a complete turn around, that’s Paul’s story.

Did you know that’s what repent means? Strong’s tells us it means to think differently, or afterward to reconsider. When we repent, we do feel remorse for our sins, and we think differently. We have some suggestions that Paul sent to Philippi:

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. (Philippians 4:8 KJV)

We make changes in our lives, putting off the old and replacing it with the new. The what and how of that replacement is best seen in Ephesian’s fourth chapter.

And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. (Ephesians 4:23-24 KJV)

But, that change has to be volunteered. It cannot be voluntold.

Have you offered to enter His service, filled with freedom and promise? Have you stepped forward in faith to the hoped for and unseen?

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1 KJV)