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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Volunteer (11/23/06)
Volunteer for what?

I do not volunteer. Why should I? What is in it for me?
I have seen those hospital volunteers. What kind of life is that? Who wants to push a wheelchair around? Why would anybody visit the sick?
Show me the money. Do you really expect me to work for free? I cannot imagine myself doing anything for nothing.
The preacher disgusts me. He needs ushers. “Pray and ask the Lord if He would have you to be an usher,” he says. I laugh under my breath. “You must be kidding,” I whisper to myself.
I withdraw in disgust when I see three or four people sign up for ushering in the next service. For the life of me, I do not get it. To pay or not to pay; that is the question.
I will give these losers one thing. People are needed to do free work. Take, for instance, that loser geek who mows the church lawn. I found out that he does it for free. Is he overdosing on his medication or what? I would never cut grass for free. I would not even cut my father’s yard for free.
If I would charge my own father, the breadwinner, the good old man who brought home the bacon I devoured, do you really think I would cut grass for free? No way. I am sickened to think that the middle-aged fellow with the gray sideburns would give two hours a week to the cause. That yard is a fifty dollar job if ever I mowed a yard.
Label me stupid or insensitive. I wish I could understand people who do things without a price tag. Why would anyone give away valuable time and energy?
Volunteer coaches really irk me. They take raw basketball players and spend hours teaching them the fundamentals of the game. Why are they doing this? They receive no money. They work and sweat for free. What is really bizarre is how much they seem to enjoy their free work.
“Helping the children is my reward,” he declares.
“Does he really believe what he is saying?” I ask.
All of these doing it for free people cannot top the one I just read about. This one baffles me. I am not sure I will ever understand this one.
I picked up one of the bibles in the pew at church and read a few chapters. This man named Jesus was called the Son of God. He walked around teaching people for free. Imagine being so motivated that you would do free public teaching. This Jesus even walked to where the people were. He walked to the temple. He traveled to the market. He even taught on seashores from boats. And what was the whopping price for all of His teachings? Nothing!
It gets better. The bible says He freely died for us . He paid for our sins. I do not recall receiving His bill. Why? There is no bill. He let them drive nails through His hands and feet. He allowed them to hang Him on a cross. Without crying out to His Father to bring Him down, He died for those that mercilessly killed Him.
Why would he die for me? I am baffled over this one. I can halfway understand why someone would help the sick for free. I can even understand assisting a teacher for free. You could learn things from the teacher that might benefit you later.
What gets me is why someone I never helped, loved or knew would volunteer to die on my behalf? I may never stop pondering this one. They say He knows me. They even tell me He died for me. Why would anyone die for me?
What a deal! He does everything. I do nothing. Yet, everything is available for me. I can have saving grace and eternal life from Him.
I can have this free gift from a man who gave up His life in my place. He will never send me a bill. I may have to take Him up on it. Nobody has ever loved me this much. Maybe that is why so many folk in the church volunteer. Maybe they have received His love.
Maybe I will receive it. Whether or not I decide to receive what He has to offer, He has to be the number one volunteer in the universe. I just cannot get over the fact that He died for me.
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Member Comments
Member
Date
julie wood
11/30/06
I loved this story! A delightfully original twist in seeing volunteer work--followed by the Gospel message--as perceived through the eyes of a total Scrooge-like cynic! I especially liked when the narrator's scorn subtly turned to bafflement as he started considering Jesus as the ultimate "Volunteer." A creative concept--one begins at this point to really have hope for him!
Donna Powers
12/02/06
I also enjoyed the change in the narrator's point of view. A good story. Nice job.
Rebecca Livermore
12/02/06
This is excellent. Such an amazing thing it is that Christ voluntarily gave up His life for us. I appreciate the reminder that Jesus is the ultimate volunteer. Thanks so much for sharing!