“He died for everyone so that those who receive His new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.” (2 Corinthians 5:15 NLT)
Many people across our world recognize the name Mother Teresa, the Roman Catholic Nun who devoted her life to serving “the poorest of the poor.” Her name was Mary Teresa Bojaxhiu (born Anjezë Gonxhe Bojaxhiu). From an early age the Lord spoke to her regarding working among the poor and severely disadvantaged.
Ron Hutchcraft wrote: “Years ago, a young man wrote to Mother Teresa with a pretty compelling question. This woman who had buried her life in the needs of the most broken in Calcutta’s slums was clearly the one who would know the answer. He asked, ‘What can I do to have a significant life like you have?’ Mother Teresa’s postcard reply was only four words: ‘Find your own Calcutta.’ Or, ‘Find some people who need you and be there for them.’”
Have you found your Calcutta? Don’t be confused, serving the Lord Jesus doesn’t mean looking only to work among the poor, but neither should you be overlooking the poor. That’s one of the reasons I enjoyed, but also wrestled with Pastoral ministry. I remember when my wife and I were serving a church doing a summer internship. This was before we had children and we were staying with my wife’s parents, so we didn’t need much to live on. So, we believed the $75 a week the church gave us would be fair.
We could buy gas and help with groceries, but that was about it, so, when a couple in the church asked us if we’d like to use their condo in South Carolina, we hesitated at first, not knowing if we’d have enough money to cover our expenses, but finally took them up on their offer. We lived in a three room apartment when we were at school that cost us $15 a week, so when we opened the door to this condo we thought we’d died and gone to heaven. It was beautiful and close to the beach.
What does that have to do with serving the poor? Two things. First, we were poor, but had a heart to serve, so the Lord laid it on the hearts of people in the church to bless us in practical ways. One man didn’t think $75 was enough, so he gave us another $25 each week that was a huge blessing to us. But the second reason is, even after we got out of school and our income increased, we were drawn to those who were struggling financially because we understood what that felt like.
The Lord will often lead you into an area of ministry out of which your own experience has drawn you. Finding your own “Calcutta” may mean for you to look at your own life, evaluate your own desires, abilities, skills, and inclinations, seeing where they may lead you. More often than not our areas of service will grow out of our own experiences, including where we live or have lived; the people we’ve met who impacted us in some way; our knowledge and abilities; and how the Lord has wired us.
One thing I believe is true – the Lord will never call us to serve in any context in which He hasn’t equipped us to be effective and fruitful. If you’re having a recurring thought, dream, or vision of someplace or someone you should be reaching out to for the Lord, don’t ignore it. Often the Lord’s voice is quiet, but persistent, and He will always let you know what He wants from you and when.
Food for thought.
Blessings, Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 