You Gotta Serve Somebody…

Yes I know I’ve used that title before, the title of an old Bob Dylan song, but so much more. One of the things I tell people quite often is there is no substitute for practice. You have got to practice your craft. You have to try new things. You are responsible for your own growth. Now often it’s hard to get someone to pay you to practice, and jobs you just made up might be fun but it’s hard to stay motivated.

I have found a great way to get real world experience while learning new skills. Are you ready? VOLUNTEER. Let’s face it, there are many people out there that could use what you do but can’t afford it. Why not take that as an opportunity to use that WHATEVER gift of yours to serve others (see 1 Peter 4:10). I recently joined an online group called The HELP Experiment, where people selflessly offer their talents to help others in the group work toward fulfilling their missions and making their dreams come true. I signed up to design five logos for five different people. I said they could leave the challenge up for a couple months. I had all my takers that same day and I’m working on them now. No money changes hands in this, but I’m strangely okay with that because I am trying new things and experimenting with different techniques while making something someone will actually use. It builds my portfolio, but more than that it helps me fulfill God’s command to serve others with my gifts and to be frank, it’s fun. When I finish these five, I am going to sign up for a different project that will stretch a different set of skills. It’s a great way to grow. (The image on the left contains two drafts of the logos I designed.)

And that’s not all. I am also making graphics for a friend’s Bible Study App. I’ve never designed for an app before but I know that is something I will be doing a lot more in the future. Yesterday a friend who works for a ministry I believe in asked me to design a graphic for a new twitter feed he is developing to help youth workers. I’m already a small financial supporter, but “gold and silver I do not have…” but I can give my art which is also something he needs.

Last year a young friend was embarking on a rather lengthy mission experience toward a possible career as a missionary. My original intent was to write her a check for $50, which was what I could afford at the time. Instead I took those $50 and invested them in art supplies and did a benefit presentation of Pictures of Jesus at her church, took a freewill offering and auctioned the paintings and raised $1200, an amount I could not have given myself.

I don’t say any of this to boast but to give you ideas and merely to say, we are creative people and when we serve with our creativity, we can accomplish great things for the Kingdom.

How can you use your gift to serve the Lord?

Here’s Etta James singing Dylan’s classic…