We all have something to contribute to the Kingdom of God… no matter what our income, our age, our situation in life, our past failures, our limitations. God designed it this way. He gave each of us spiritual gifts to be used for the benefit of others and for the extending of his Kingdom.
Let’s say you’re older and can’t get out much: you can pray. You can mentor those who can come to you. My mother-in-law is 88 years old and she connects with people via telephone.
Let’s say you’re young and don’t have much money: you can help at the outreach to troubled teens that this church is involved in. You can get out to share things with the homeless. You can pick up trash in the park. You can mow your neighbor’s lawn for them.
Let’s say you have little kids. A friend of mine is a mom with younger children. She’s been frustrated with the lack of volunteer opportunities that she can do without having to pay someone else to watch her kids. Many ministries don’t allow children present for liability reasons. This mom finally found an organization that ministers to homeless families. Each of the families in this program has at least one adult and at least one child. They are given space in churches to sleep at night and be served a hot dinner, and transportation to a job-finding program during the day. So my friend recently cooked a meal for 25 people… and brought her children along to help serve the food.
Sometimes you can partner with other organizations that have existing ministries and need help. Sometimes you can simply do something on your own that needs doing. There are many, many ways to get outside the walls of the church and serve those who don’t know Jesus. And we all have something to contribute.
As Theodore Roosevelt said: “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”