Article July 7, 1997 Issue

Volunteer work: a Christian perspective

DeAnn Bennet

The tradition of service to others is deeply rooted in the Bible. The early Christian leaders gave willingly of their energy and resources to encourage spiritual progress. Some, like Paul, even traveled to far-off countries to share Christianity with others.

Christians today want to follow in their footsteps, but it's not always easy. Insecurity, financial or time constraints, and plain old fear often attempt to wedge themselves between an individual's desire to aid his or her fellowman and decisive action. What can be done when we want to help but don't know quite how to go about it?

The answer is that we need a higher basis on which to found our philanthropy. Like any worthwhile activity, rewarding and effective volunteer work should begin with prayer. Prayer helps us understand the spiritual nature of God's creation and inspires us to translate that understanding into appropriate human action.

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