Volunteer – to offer or give of one’s own free will. (Webster)

“And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” John F. Kennedy

“Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.” (James 2.18b)

“Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (IICor. 9.7)

The Peace Corps is an American volunteer program that sends people to countries around the world for two-year stints. It was established by Executive Order 10924, by Pres. John F. Kennedy, on March 1, 1961, and authorized by Congress on September 22, 1961, with passage of the Peace Corps Act (Public Law 87-293). The Peace Corps Act declares the purpose of the Peace Corps to be:

“To promote world peace and friendship through a Peace Corps, which shall make available to interested countries and areas men and women of the United States qualified for service abroad and willing to serve, under conditions of hardship if necessary, to help the peoples of such countries and areas in meeting their needs for trained manpower.”

Since 1960, more than 195,000 people have served as Peace Corps volunteers in 139 countries. My friend Bonnie was one of those 195,000. She joined the Peace Corps after college. She worked in Africa for two years and then put in for two more. She met and married her husband while in Africa. After her stay in the Corps she returned with her husband, to the States, to begin her family. But there was a problem. Bonnie couldn’t eat. She had seen so much starvation and poverty that she felt guilty. She struggled for more than a year with this guilt until, through much counseling and prayer, she was able to resume a normal existence.

How long has it been since you volunteered for something? How long has it been since you were so moved by a cause that it discomforted you in such a way that you could not eat or sleep because of it? How often do you walk into church or see an ad on TV or hear some plea on the radio and think “I should get involved”?

Wake up!! This planet is in turmoil. Our nation is in dire need. Our state is struggling. Our churches and families are under great pressure. There are needs that you can meet, if only you would give. “Don’t fail to do something because you cannot do everything.” What are you waiting on? Or do you think that we’ve got enough help hired to do the job?

Let me give you a news flash that you may have missed. Jesus was a VOLUNTEER!!!! He drew no salary. He had no stipend. He was here willingly. He gave, not out of necessity, but cheerfully. “Who for the joy before him, endured the cross.” (Hebrews 12) “No man takes my life, I lay it down…” (John 10)

“Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15.13)
My fellow believers, it is time to lay down our lives. Volunteer.