Love in Action - The Gift of Showing Up

Author: Charlotte Cuthbert - Communications Coordinator

“ “God, how can I use what You have given me to bless someone else today?”

Because when our love for God becomes love for one another, service becomes more than volunteering.

It becomes love in action.”

Love in Action - The Gift of Showing up

In our busy lives, it can sometimes feel as though we have very little left to give.

There are crops to tend, livestock to care for, families who need us, businesses to run, meetings to attend, and responsibilities that seem to fill every hour of the day. So, when someone asks us to volunteer, serve on a committee, help at an event, sit on a board, bring a meal, lend a hand, or simply show up, our first thought may understandably be, “I just don’t know if I have the time.”

And yet, some of the greatest blessings in life can come from the moments when we choose to give a little of ourselves to others.

God has given each of us gifts. They may not always be the gifts we immediately recognize as important. Some people are natural leaders. Others are wonderful listeners. Some are organizers, encouragers, teachers, cooks, builders, caregivers, or problem-solvers. Some have the gift of making people laugh, while others have the ability to quietly notice the person standing alone in the room.

Every one of those gifts has value.

Scripture reminds us in 1 Peter 4:10:

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” 1 Peter 4:10 (NIV)

What a beautiful reminder that the gifts God has given us were never intended only for ourselves. They were also given so that we might bless one another.

Volunteering is one way we put those gifts and our love into action.

There will certainly be times when volunteering feels like one more thing added to an already overflowing plate. We may wonder why we agreed to help or question whether the few hours we can offer really make much of a difference.

But something interesting often happens when we serve.

Instead of simply taking something from us, serving others can give something back.

It can pull our attention away from our own worries for a little while. It can help us become more aware of what others are carrying. It can make us more compassionate, more patient and more connected to the people around us.

Most importantly, it gives us the opportunity to be there.

And sometimes, being there matters far more than we will ever know.

We may volunteer at an event thinking our job is simply to pour coffee, set up chairs or greet people at the door. What we may never realize is that the person we welcomed needed a friendly face that day. The neighbour we stopped to speak with may have been feeling alone. The farmer we listened to may have been carrying a burden they had not shared with anyone else.

We do not always know what is happening in another person's life.

But God does.

Perhaps that is part of the beauty of community. God places people in one another's paths, often in ordinary moments, giving us opportunities to care, listen, encourage and remind each other that we are not walking through life alone.

Jesus taught us to love God and to love our neighbour. That love does not always need to appear through grand gestures. More often, it is found in simple acts of service: giving an hour of our time, helping at a community supper, checking on a neighbour, serving on a committee, supporting a local organization, mentoring someone younger, or simply asking, “How are you doing?” and taking the time to truly listen to the answer.

Strong communities are built by people who are willing to show up for one another.

They are built around kitchen tables, in church basements, community halls, barns, farm fields, meeting rooms and countless other places where people choose to give a little of themselves for something greater.

Yes, volunteering requires something from us. It requires our time, our energy and sometimes our patience. But it also reminds us that we belong to something beyond ourselves.

When we offer our gifts in service, we strengthen our communities, deepen our compassion and build relationships we may never have experienced otherwise.

And perhaps, without even realizing it, we become a little more attentive to our neighbours, a little more grateful for our communities, and a little more willing to love as Christ has called us to love.

We may never know the full impact of simply showing up.

But sometimes, showing up is exactly the gift someone else needs.

So when the opportunity comes to volunteer, serve, encourage or lend a hand, perhaps instead of asking only, “Do I have enough time?” we can also ask:

“God, how can I use what You have given me to bless someone else today?”

Because when our love for God becomes love for one another, service becomes more than volunteering.

It becomes love in action.

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The CFFO Commentary represents the opinions of the writer and does not necessarily represent CFFO policy.