Are You Willing?

A friend of mine from a different church works with the children at his church. He was putting together an Indiana Jones escape room. He needed some crafty volunteers to help him decorate, specifically to paper mâché a 6-foot boulder although there was more decorating that was required.

I happened to see his request for help on his Facebook page. I happened to be off work that day and replied that I was not crafty, but I was willing to help. So, after a forty-five-minute drive to his church, my wife and I were hands-deep in glue. My wife is a “crafty” person.

The paper mâché boulder took 3 – 4 hours to complete. It was not hard to do, it was just big. I am glad that I went out of my way to help a friend in need. What disappointed me was that no one from his church heeded the request to volunteer. My wife and I were the only volunteers to arrive to do the craft. Had we not helped, his room would not have been completed on time.

He said that the escape room turned out to be a success and the boulder came out great. I joked how being crafty wasn’t needed as much as just being willing. However, this “joke” has been in my thoughts ever since.

My work schedule is weird and does not allow me to volunteer for as many things as I would like. There are a lot of things and people that need assistance. Often, we think to ourselves that we are not skilled enough to do what is required. We have excuses that we are too old, too young, or even that someone else will do it. We may even think we are not good enough to help. The problem is not that we can’t. The main problem is that we are not willing.

It reminds me of the parable of the good Samaritan. A couple of people walked by who were able to help the injured man, but only one was willing to see that he received the help he truly needed. It was just the one man that even bothered to check on the man.

When Jesus called his disciples, he did not check their resumes to see if they could do what would be required. He merely said, “Follow me.” Those he called were willing to follow him.

Prayers are helpful, but workers are needed. You do not have to have a degree to do most of the necessary work. Many things need to be done. While some tasks are complex many more are more easily completed by someone just willing. What we need in this world is more willing people to help.

He told them, "The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest. Luke 10:2 (CSV)