Impact Day

All I did was shovel mulch around play areas, scatter pine straw around flower beds, and help construct a nine square game in one of the housing areas at Woodland Christian Camp. On a scale of one-to-ten, I’m guessing those particular activities rate a one or so – at least according to the value system of the world around us. But by the economics of the Kingdom of God, I think that rating is not the right one. Let me explain.

I did those things as a participant in Impact Day – Point University’s name for the day each semester we close down the academic program and invite students to be a part of a team of faculty, staff, and students serving our community. At some level, that makes Impact Day a gratitude issue – it is a way to thank the communities around us for accepting Point University as a part of the Greater Valley Area and beyond. The New Testament I’ve been reading all my life puts gratitude beyond a ten on that proverbial one-to-ten scale. So it seems a little foolish to think that if by shoveling mulch, spreading pine straw, and similar activities I was able to demonstrate gratitude, those simple tasks were well worth doing.

I can’t forget that in doing those simple tasks, I was with a group of about 30 faculty, staff, and students from Point who were there for the same reason. Serving together is such a blessing from God. It reminds me of Paul’s sense of “mutual encouragement” in Romans 1:11,12 where the great apostle suggests that just being with the believers in Rome would be to enjoy the spiritual gift of mutual encouragement. I think I experienced that spiritual gift yesterday, as on a cold, blustery March day, I hung out with some other people wanting to show gratitude.

Then there is the issue of outcomes. On the play grounds where I helped spread mulch, hundreds of children will find a place to play, rest, interact with others, and learn about Jesus during summer camp. How could that not be worth doing what is otherwise viewed as menial labor? If Jesus could wash feet within hours of His arrest, trial, and crucifixion, I’m guessing I can’t really see myself as too important to do what our culture defines as menial because I’m too important!

Most, if not all, of our 40+ projects involving somewhere near 400 students were done in the context of non-profits serving the communities around them. Perhaps the most obvious common denominator among non-profits everywhere is that they are understaffed and underfunded. Yesterday, Joey Westbrook, executive director at Woodland Christian Camp, told me “You can’t imagine how many hours of work you all saved us. Our staff can get to other important things because of what you all did.” My guess is that every director of every place we served yesterday said something similar. If by spreading mulch, scattering pine straw, and the like I helped employees of places committed to making the world a better place have more time to do their “more important work,” I’m thinking those were tasks well worth doing.

As the Gospel of John introduces the foot washing story in John 13, we are told that “Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God.” (13:3) In other words, He knew [a] who He was, [b] where He had come from; and [c] where He was going. As a human, knowing the answers to those questions enabled Him to wash twelve sets of dirty feet – including those of the one who would, before long, betray Him. That’s pretty impressive. 

When we know who we are, where we come from, and where we are headed – we are children of God, serving in the Kingdom of God, and headed to eternity with God – we will never rate scattering mulch and spreading pine straw to enhance a place where ministry occurs as a “one.” Actually, the scale is yet to be invented that can measure that!