When we hear the word stewardship we often think of money and perhaps even time. But have you ever thought of the word stewardship also in terms of your talents, gifts and passions? This question is especially important when we think about all the great need in the world and the great tug at our hearts to be of service to those experiencing pain and suffering. We want to help...so we go, we do, we act. We feel the urgency and so want to move. However, it is useful to bear in mind Christ's admonition, "Be wise as serpents and harmless as doves."
I believe this never rang so true as when talking about how to help those in need in the Majority World. And if you’ve had these same concerns and yet yearn to serve internationally, the following three steps might be helpful as you navigate your journey.
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1) Reflection
Acknowledge your position as a place of blessing. Most who are here reading this blog are in a social position of great wealth--not necessarily in terms of money, even though that might be true. But if you do not gather your basic needs such as water, food and shelter on a daily basis, you are blessed compared to the majority of people in this world. Additionally, if you care reading this, you are well-educated, have some personal freedom and also have a hope to impact our world in a way that "glorifies our God in heaven". This is indeed a blessed position to be in. Now take some time to reflect on other ways that you are blessed.
2) Deliberation
After acknowledging our "wealth" we now can turn our thoughts toward the question of service. As a Christian church we are all called to be poured out to others. We must ask ourselves, what does that mean for me? How can I serve? One way is to take some time to deliberate on where our gifts and our passions overlap. I find that it is helpful to take some quiet moments away from the bustle of life and actually write out two lists. Then compare them. Where do my gifts directly relate, support or enhance my passions?
3) Decision: Choosing Your Path
With the clarity that comes with reflection and deliberation it is then possible to approach the third aspect of stewarding ourselves as a Global Citizen. Now we can ask, what is the best path for me? A wise person gave me some invaluable advice after I told him I wanted to serve the poor and help people. I wanted to jump right in the subsequent summer and join a community and just help. I started to feel the urgency so much that taking classes and entering a university seemed like a waste of my time. My friend listened to my impassioned plea for immediate action for the poor and gently reminded me that of all the current issues facing our world, the problem of poverty is not only pervasive and urgent, but also one that hundreds of thousands of people throughout time have tried to solve. And a worthwhile response to any problem as complex as that requires not just passion but also a heart of patience, commitment and humility. I realized that running headlong into the flames may only serve to make the fire stronger as it incinerates. I want to participate in sustainable solutions to poverty.
Dealing with poverty--one of the greatest issues of our time--is not a time to be under prepared. And so after reflecting and deliberating, I am choosing a path of learning. At least for the next four years, I will spend my summers abroad, but the rest of the year reading at a library, writing papers in a cubicle and praying that God will help me serve at my highest capacity.
Now it’s your turn. What will you do?
