Useful Christian

Boundless.org published this article today: "Useful Christian" by Suzanne Hadley. As I read it, I couldn't help but smile. She said:

"I've been thinking a lot about this idea of usefulness. It's a proven fact that my generation — particularly the single people — are least likely to attend, volunteer or give to the church."

and then later,

"Single adults and people under 25 years of age stood out as two of the groups least likely to give: In 2007 less than one percent of these two groups tithed. Quite a contrast to the givers mentioned in 2 Chronicles who gave "freely and wholeheartedly to the Lord" to build the temple (29:9)."

I looked at the list of people who have confirmed to help with Becky's move Saturday. Only one married - the rest are teens or singles. (Full disclosure: There are some marrieds on the maybe list, and there were marrieds on the list when we though we'd be moving her last weekend, and a married who helped with the first move. And a married couple who will be out of town are lending us their truck.)

So, when I read this article, I smiled because though I can read the statistics, they are not my experience. Here is my experience, and this is only within the last week, if that:

1. Some of the singles can't help with the move Saturday because they have committed to helping another single's grandmother with yard work. But, we are "in negotiations", so that we can adequately cover both service opportunities (we hope!).

2. A single friend house sat for a pastor last week, and another single friend is house sitting for that pastor this week.

3. A teen did yard work yesterday for an older single woman.

4. A single friend gave me a gift card, after I shared that I wasn't sure what I was going to do about clothes in the fall because things are not fitting.

5. A married friend at church had baby #3 and baby #1 is only 3. So, a single friend has been helping her out during the day when she can. Other singles have brought her family dinner.

6. My parents need some help packing up the truck so that they can move my brother's things down to Ft. Bragg. A single man or two (though a married might come too) have volunteered to help me and my sister pack the truck. (My folks just can't do that kind of work as much any more, though they definitely push the limits.)

None of this is to discredit the marrieds. I was invited to lunch (though I couldn't make it) by a married couple Sunday, and I was also invited to dinner and some Olympic watching by another married couple (that I could make). And I received this email from another family yesterday (they invited me over for dinner sometime previously, and I'll be staying in the area they live next week; so, I let them know it would be a good week for me to visit with them):

So far we are free all nights. Come as many as you like! We usually eat around 6 PM. We would love to have you!

I could go on and on. Maybe I will :o). But, I think instead, I might contact some of these friends directly and thank them for the example they are to me and how God's grace is so evident in their lives. Because it is. It is all by God's grace.

The Boundless.org article touches on another key point - serving in giftedness is important, but just serving is more important:

"Everyone has something to contribute to God's work (Romans 12). Part of the challenge is just showing up. While the Bible doesn't come out and say, "Make yourself useful!" the concept is implied. The imagery of a body, in which each limb, organ and muscle does its part, reinforces the idea that you should be doing simply what you are able."

Tonight I'm finishing up a Spiritual Gifts class at my church. I've enjoyed it - spending time with people I don't always get to spend time with, sitting under the teaching of one of my pastors in a setting that allows us to ask him questions and learn interactively. Our homework for tonight was to fill out a paper called "Unwrapping My Gifts." There are at least ten gifts listed on my paper that we are all called to work towards. Though we might be specifically gifted in one area, we shouldn't let that limit us. We shouldn't let that limit God. It is by His grace that we have which gifts we have, but He is about His church. He will accomplish what is needed for His glory, and often we will be given opportunities to operate outside of our "giftedness" merely because a job needs to get done. And God promises that when we are weak, He is strong. He will provide the grace to accomplish a task for His church.

And I'm blessed to see this outpouring almost everyday in the lives of my friends (single and married) as they seek to glorify God in all they do. Friends, you are too many to name and your service is too great to describe. You defy the statistics. Clearly they did not poll our church!