Stand Up And Volunteer!
By: Pastor Brian Horrobin
Back in November I took a trip to Indianapolis, Indiana to compete in a marathon that was being held there. This particular race is one of the 15 largest marathons in the United States with over 18,000 runners in 3 different races. This is a signature event for this city and one that takes a significant amount of volunteers to pull off.
By volunteers, of course, I mean people who willingly give up their Saturday to stand at street corners and give out water and Gatorade, run security at intersections, direct spectators to waiting areas, hand out finisher medals and refreshments in the finish line area, assist with crowd control, help with registration the day prior to the race, and participate in the enormous clean up that must take place after the races are over.
These are just a few of the duties that are required for volunteers. A race of this proportion could not possibly happen without the dedication and commitment of several hundred volunteers.
The Boston Marathon relies on approximately 10,000 volunteers for their race each year. After a great victory that the Israelites won over the Canaanites, two of Israel’s leaders, Deborah and Barak, sang a victory song.
The song began with these words found in the Book of Judges 5:2: “That the leaders took the lead in Israel, that the people offered themselves willingly, bless the LORD!”
This victory would not have been possible if the people had stayed home and hid from their enemies. Instead, they stepped up to the plate, as it were, and volunteered to fight in the battle. Is there an area in the community where your volunteer efforts could be appreciated?
Perhaps you could serve at one of the community meals, or offer to assist in some activities at one of the local nursing homes? Maybe a coach needs those who can carry equipment or bring refreshments for the kids? The possibilities are endless.
Not everything has to have a paycheque, you know. We need those willing to give of their time and talent to help others. Will you be one of them?
