A voice calling a name I recognized as my own.
Sometimes it comes as a soft-bellied whisper.
Sometimes it holds an edge of urgency.
From time to time this call is requesting that I give of my time, and resources for the benefit of another. What that can look like varies greatly from one call to another. One person may need food to feed their family, and another may need furnishings because they lost theirs in a house fire. Sometimes the call is simply for money, and other times it is for companionship, a shoulder, guidance, and support.
No matter what the call is for, and no matter how much I may not even want to answer it I do my best to answer the call and do so to the best of my ability. Sometimes to the extent of ignoring the limitations of being human.
I am certain that there are times when no one understands why I am helping another. Perhaps the person in need doesn't seem deserving. Maybe they truly are in the place that they are in through no one's fault beyond their own. Deep down inside I may not think that they deserve help either.
You know what? That's not my call to make. It's not my place to judge. There is no way that I can deny the feeling of that call no matter what my mind thinks, my heart feels, and my gut never steers me wrong. I receive a call and I accepted it. My only responsibility is to answer the call to the best of my ability.
This may not make a lick of sense...I don't know...I'm metaphysical like that. My point is that you may not agree with what someone else is doing, and that is okay. It is not okay for you to impede upon their process. This is their life and their call. Hopefully that person supports you in answering your calls and if they do you should consider returning that energy from time to time.
Part of why I joined the church that I did was because the mission of the church fully embodies the values set forth by John Wesley a long time ago:
ReplyDeleteDo all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can.
In addition, I also believe in the words of Mother Teresa, "I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love."
I believe in giving until it hurts and that in that hurt, the true beauty of love is found. Because the hurt is usually associated with risk and it is only by taking risks that we can grow. I learned that with Michele Graddy when I heard a clear message as to what my purpose was. I learned that when helping a friend financially and then being strapped for cash a week later. I learned that when I gave a extra donation to my church to help end the fiscal year in the black and was then hit with unexpected medical bills a week later. I learned that when I was asked to give food to someone I didn't even know.
I'm working up a blog post on this subject, Lety, and will link to yours in it, I'm sure!