A Ministry Of One

Ministry through just living life

How can we even begin to commit to a ministry service with all the work we currently do and all the responsibilities we have? Such a choice seems to be reserved for those with no families, no need to work (or a willingness to live in abject poverty for their cause) and none of the other demands on their time that most people have. I was agonizing over the same problems when the following question popped into my head:

Why do I have to join a ministry in order to do the work of a ministry?

I know the things I want to accomplish, and the change I want to affect in the world. If I put my mind to it, there could be any number of ways to take the daily activities that we all need to attend to - making a living, pursuing a social life and other "worldly concerns" - and rework them. I can accomplish the surface goals (getting the dry cleaning collected and the bills paid) while at the same time, make theSe activites a vehicle to further my spiritual goals. In other words, I can create a sort of free-ranging, one-woman ministry.

Then I had a realization. There were already people out there doing just this: Famous people like Martin Luther King, Jr., Oprah Winfrey, Jimmy Carter, Maya Angelou and Dr. Patch Adams; and less famous individuals like doctors who donate their expertise to healing the destitute or victims of war. And there are plain, old, Joe and Jane Q. Publics who dedicate their lives to a certain cause or concept - men and women of the world who have used a personal tragedy, success or epiphany as a turning point in their behavior. These folks have turned these events of life into an emotional currency to "fund" the creation of something greater than themselves. They still had to eat and pay rent, still had families and jobs and social lives to attend to, but at the same time, they either did live or are currently living their lives as a full-blown ministry. They learned how to serve the greater good as much as any organizational ministry, under the "disguise" of living their lives to the fullest.

The truth that I discovered is that each of us, with the right amount of support, creativity and an open mind, can find ways to turn our once normal and mundane lives into living works of spiritual art. And I am not just talking about the obvious means, such as supporting our favorite causes and contributing money to charities, but about modeling the behavior of a spiritual leader. Be available to help others in need. Take your own spiritual standards public (and don't back down when others want you to "play along" with unethical or un-loving activities). Take responsibility to actively pursue the creation of a positive, nurturing environment for everyone.

For example: I express my ministry by working for global change through my personal evolution. I smile at everyone in order to contribute to and increase the positive attitude of the world around me. I collect aluminum cans on my walks with the dogs (I get a few pennies, a non-renewable resource is recycled and the world is a cleaner place). I compliment others on jobs well done or challenges well met, even if I don't know those I am speaking to.

Yes, strangers may be flabbergasted to be complimented for, say, handling a toddler's screaming fit in a loving manner. But isn't it our responsibility to not only complain when we see someone mistreating someone else, but to actively support and encourage those doing just the opposite? Praise reinforces good behavior much better than complaints do. If enough people feel that their good efforts are being appreciated and acknowledged, then over time the whole behavior base of the society changes for the better.

The path to creating your own personal ministry is a matter of a few simple steps:

• First, begin to work on getting your own house in order. You don't need to be a perfect person, or even be able to play one on TV. You do need to be in a position to focus on being the best "you" there is. After all, how far can the ministry get if the minister is kaput?

• Second, find a cause. This could be something as specific as raising money for at risk Latino children in a local neighborhood, or as broad as creating a pocket of happiness around you wherever you go. It doesn't matter what specifically waht your cause is, just that you have a destination to head towards. "Random acts of kindness" are wonderful, but "targeted acts of will" get more done.

  Don't worry about getting "trapped" by a single idea that you may grow out of. It's your ministry. If you decide to change horses mid-race then by all means, jump! Staying with a particular cause after you've lost your interest can only hamper your activities, and does a disservice to those you're trying to help. 

• Third, contemplate on what a ministry dedicated to the work you've decided to take on would do, besides the obvious activities. Open yourself up to the imagination. As an example, a ministry devoted to raising money for the blind does just that, of course. But can also do community outreach - informing the public and offering related services to the surrounding area. You can partner with other ministries to initiate and implement broad-based projects and community aid strategies.

  In the words of Mahatma Gandhi, "Be the change you wish to see in the world."

  Talk to people about your cause. Make up flyers and post them on corkboards at stores and public laundries. Call in to local radio shows whenever the topic veers reasonably close to your own and weave a "plug" for your cause into your question or comment. Write letters to the editor. Make or buy hats, t-shirts and/or nice, quality pins (available online as 'metal name tags or badges') that proclaim your purpose. wearing your cause on your clothes can pique interest and start conversations.

  If you have access to a nice residence and wealthy or just generous friends, invite them over for elegant full-dress "house parties." Ask a speaker from your cause to give a presentation to the group and then round up donations. Let everyone know ahead of time to bring their checkbooks. Invite movers and shakers around town, who, if given enough warning, can usually be rounded up for a good cause and a good dinner. Don't forget to include the press. Use this public expression of "see and be seen" as an incentive - donors love to get their pictures in the paper handing out checks for worthy causes!

• Fourth and finally. In the words of Mahatma Gandhi, "Be the change you wish to see in the world." If you are tired of the violence and me-me-me attitudes of modern life, don't give in to surges of anger and frustration when someone butts in line ahead of you or wrongs you. If you are sick of all the unnecessary hunger and poverty in the world, use your power as a consumer. Stop buying cheap merchandise made affordable only through the use of child, or slave, labor. Put back the less expensive brand of coffee that is cheap because of the exploitation of farmers unable to fight for a living wage without facing severe retribution. Walk your talk.

  A Ministry of One Can Change the World

  No one raindrop may believe itself responsible for the flood. We are all too easily convinced that our behaviors aren't a "drop in the bucket" on such issues. But all those drops do add up. If you want proof, consider how many fast food places now have at least one vegetarian sandwich or food product on the menu. Or how many garment companies now offer third-party inspection of their manufacturing plants and proudly flaunt "Sweatshop Free" stickers and labels. A handful of years ago that was wishful thinking. But enough people demanding and refusing to lower their standards for the merchandise offered, turned the tide and changed the world. If you won't live the life that supports what you advocate, can you expect anybody else do differently?

A note of caution! There is a fine line between devotion to a cause and an obsession. A premise of the ministry of one is that you should seek to create a balanced life. If you become a repetitious, predictable, one-trick-pony, stick-in-the-mud, then your ministry will suffer rather than prosper. We can all bring to mind people who, while no doubt sincere and well-intentioned, did much more harm to their cause than good, simply by being unable to think about, talk about or take into consideration other topics for discussion.  Don't become one of them. The greatest religious leaders - Jesus Christ, Buddha, the Pope, Mother Teresa, Gandhi, etc., took a little time off to smile and laugh with friends, family and community. Don't neglect loved ones, or the other "non-ministerial" facets of your personality or dream life. Don't get too hung up on the central focus of your ministry. After all, you never know what pathway will lead you to where you need to be next.

(c) Soni Pitt. About the author:  Soni Pitts is the Chief Visionary, Butt-Kicker of SoniPitts.Com. She specializes in helping others reclaim "soul proprietorship" in their lives and to begin living the life their Creator always intended for them. She is the author of the free e-book "50 Ways To Reach Your Goals."

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Billboard

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FOXSports.com

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New York Times

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