Victim or Volunteer  07/13/20

VICTIM or VOLUNTEER

Identifying yourself as a victim seems to be a popular perspective these days.  As a victim you have no responsibility for any of your problems.  Your pain, plight and problems are all a result of someone or something else.  You do not need to change, only complain.  Second, as a victim you become justified in doing whatever you want.  Because you are oppressed, you are justified to oppress the perceived oppressors.  You become empowered to demean and abuse the person or people you do not like.  In essence, as a victim you take the step to become God as you determine the new right and wrong.  Good and evil are viewed through your perspective and always slanted towards your benefit.  Self-sacrifice is not in the picture.  Why, because you are the victim and life is all about you.

We all feel this way at one point or another.  If you have not been hurt, disappointed or taken advantage of you probably are not breathing or paying attention.  God’s followers are called to live counter to such a bias.  Believers are not victims.  Believers choose/volunteer to submit to the one and only true God.  He is the righteous loving judge.  God determines right and wrong.  Man’s flesh rebels against His rule and wants to call the shots.  The believer dies to self and acknowledges that there is a God and He alone sets the standards. 

Trials and troubles do not justify ill treatment of others.  Victims do not have the right to victimize others.  In contrast, believers are new creatures.  They abide by the King’s ways and love one another.    They are even to love their enemies.  They are even to obey the governing rulers, even when the rulers are evil and corrupt.  Believers actions are modeled and conformed to the will of God the Father.

We need only to look in the mirror in the morning to find the cause of most of our troubles.  We are born with a rebellion/obedience problem.  We do not like rules and yet are slaves to the reign of sin.  Granted natural disasters, accidents, economic recessions, disease and the like happen.  Those things happen to everyone.  It is part of life.  God’s children agree with the Father that He rules.  believers see that He sets the rules.  We confess that we do not follow the rules.  From this we acknowledge that we are not the victim but the invited ones.  We are the volunteers.

A volunteer sees life in a whole different light.  A volunteer chooses to be identified with a cause, team or group.  A volunteer offers their time, resources, and insights to further the vision.  They conform their activity, thoughts, and words to match those of the leader.  They change their priorities to that of the movement.  They do not care what happens to them or what it costs.  They sign up for whatever the adventure has in store.   Difficulties and troubles are part of the process.  They persevere as the purpose is far bigger than who they are.   They can face the very worst because life is not about them.

Believers are volunteers.  They choose to take the identity of Jesus Christ.  They volunteer to have done to them what they cannot do themselves, i.e. be set free from the power of sin.  God is given the throne in their life as the sovereign ruler.  They no longer take control but follow and obey.   It is all about God.  In the process they admit their own culpability.  They acknowledge their failures to obey and confess their sins.  In short, they proclaim three things.   

God is real and He sets the standards. 

They are to follow those standards. 

They are not God and they struggle following the standards.

Today evaluate your thoughts and actions.  Are you living as a victim or as a volunteer?  Listen to the views of the media and social media.  Consider your own thoughts.  Are they promoting victimization or volunteerism?

 Is there a loving righteous God who sets the standard for right and wrong or not? 

Are people encouraged to act kindly towards others denying themselves or not? 

Do people tend to sin and need God’s help or are they able to solve the problems of the world on their own because they know what is best?

I encourage you, live dangerously, be a volunteer.  It is a whole lot more fulfilling.

Tornado Pete