Touched and Committed

Who provides you with the resources needed to carry out your ministry?

Soon afterwards he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve were with him, as well as some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Herod's steward Chuza, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their resources.  - Luke 1:1-3

In today's reading from Luke, we are given a glimpse of what helped keep Jesus's ministry alive.  He had providers whose resources sustained them as they traveled from city to city.

Two types of supporters were mentioned, those who provided the resources, the financial supporters, and those who had been cured of evil spirits, the spiritual supporters.

Ideally we would have both for together, they make an unbeatable combination.

No one would doubt the need for financial supporters.  Every ministry, every outreach program needs money.  Who isn't asked to donate to a worthy cause?

But the financial supporters of Jesus were different.  They were all in, giving all they had to help grow the ministry.  Imagine if we had supporters like that for our ministry?

But I would like to focus on the others, for a moment.  Is there anything more compelling than to see someone who has been transformed by the work we do?

It is not only an uplifting experience for all who look at what we are doing, but it sustains us as well.

I see examples of this every day when we serve lunch.  Sometimes the transformation is a small one, from fearful uncertainty to a place where one thing is made better.

But over time, I see some change more radically, from addiction to help, from despair to joy.

I used to think if I could just show people what is possible through our ministry, through the testimony of someone helped, I would be able to get more support.

But there is something flawed in that thinking.

To sustain our ministry, we need more than financial support.  Money is needed, yes, but money alone won't make a program successful.  All involved need to be doing what they do out of love, or it won't last.

The support we get from those who come, are changed and stay to help is life sustaining for all of us, staff and volunteers alike.  We gain strength in their support, as they gain strength in our work.

That must have been what it was like for Jesus and his disciples, walking hand in hand with those who were cured, those who had been touched and chose to stay.

So, we need support to make a difference, and we need that support to come from everywhere.

Those who help others help on all sides of the ministry.  We are all in it together.

More to come...