Through out my 54 plus years on earth I have often times reacted to the response of people around me. If some one cuts me off in traffic, I will make a less than complimentary remark or gesture. If someone does not respond with the attitude I expect from an expression of generosity on my part, I would categorize them as ungrateful and turn my actions away from being generous in that way again. I am then able to develop the mindset all people in need don't appreciate my help so I am not going to help them.
Last summer all of this began to change in my life when I decided to change (I guess one can teach an old dog new tricks) due to a mission trip I went on down to the gulf coast. The change began during our orientation time when the pastor of the church talked with our group. One of the things he said was these people have been dealing with this for a long time and they might not express the thanks you would expect from your efforts because they have been overwhelmed by their experience. I took that statement to heart and began to realize I was not on this mission trip to feed my ego based upon the thanks I received from the people I was helping. I was on this trip because I felt called by God to help people in need.
This past week I was talking with another person who had taken several to the gulf coast with a group who had gone several times. He commented to me that he would not go back on another trip because on the last trip he had taken someone in his group asked the people they were helping why they were not working along side the group rather than stand around watching the work that was going on. When they did not receive the answer they wanted the group decided that was their last trip. I might add that one of the houses we worked on last summer the people stood around and watched and did not help and I received comments from our people about their inactivity but I was able to respond in a way that enabled them to see we were there not based upon their thanks or their work but based upon our call to help those in need.
As a child of God and one who lives by faith I can not expect everyone to respond to my actions in the way I expect. I do have control over how I respond to the call of God in my life. I have finally figured out that God desire for me is to be faithful to my call and not base my actions on the response I receive from others. That change has made all the difference in my approach to ministry.
How do you approach your call from God?