By Morgan Newton, Contributing Writer
By the end of the average college student’s collegiate career they will have accrued $33,000 in student loans, completed one major, and fulfilled two internships. However, an Asbury graduate will often have an advatange amongst fellow graduates based on their volunteerism.
The majority of Asbury students will have spent some time doing volunteer work to meet some sort of requirement, whether it be for their cross-cultural requirement or as part of a housing contract, before they receive their degree. The heart behind this is for students to experience the growth that comes from serving others.
As Christ followers we are called to serve one another through love, so being intentional with our acts of service is a crucial aspect in growing our faith. Within the Christian community, Asbury included, serving in missions outside our borders has become an accustomed part of serving others.
Furthermore, serving internationally provides an opportunity to be of aid to those in a kind of need we often don’t entirely understand. Or we can experience the customs of other regions to cultivate a more well-rounded view of the world we live in.
However, I believe that it is not enough to be satisfied serving for a couple of weeks in a different environment only to return to a comfortable daily routine once we have returned. Galatians 6:10 reads, “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good for everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” We are instructed in this passage to do good, and not just when it is convenient or comfortable, but in every available opportunity.
So what would happen if we truly lived this verse out in every day life? How much more of an impact could we have for the Kingdom if we each looked for opportunities to serve within our day to day routines rather than just in a two week span? Mother Teresa once said, “Be faithful in the small things because it is there that your strength lies.”
While her volunteer work speaks louder than any quote may, these words are a testament to what her life was dedicated to: the small things; the everyday moments. It is sometimes easier to do the grand and noble cross-cultural mission trip than to seek out such opportunities in our own community. But our grandest gestures will ring void of genuine intent if we overlook the seemly unimportant acts.
I challenge us as Christ-followers to live beyond our designated time of mission work and look at each moment as a prime opportunity to serve one another in love. People need what we have to offer, even if it’s something as simple as a smile or a kind word or a conversation. Let’s live for the small moments.