When we offer others a gift of any sort, it is up to the receiver of the gift to use it well or not. In service, we need to be careful not to blame ourselves for things we cannot help—although it may be wise to keep a watch on our wallets!
But what about those tragic reports of relief workers who are seriously injured or of missionaries who are slaughtered? The movie End of the Spear chronicles the story of a family whose father is slain while trying to bring peace to an Amazon tribe that was killing itself off. But the story doesn’t end there. In fact, nothing really ends when we think it does. None of us can predict the future or see things in light of eternity, so none of us is in a position to determine when a mission has truly failed. There are countless stories of the phoenix rising from the ashes, hope surviving in unlikely places, and people being affected long after the volunteers pack it up and go home.
Unfortunately, however, there are occasional attempts at service that are misguided, resulting in damage to a person or culture. No individual is perfect—not a single one of us can claim to have perfect motivations or exemplary behavior all of the time. Therefore, no organization that is made up of individuals is perfect (especially if the organization is largely composed of volunteers who come and go). We need to accept imperfection as a condition of existence. If we hold back from serving others because things aren’t just right, a lot of opportunities will be missed.
This is not to say you shouldn’t do your homework and look for an organization with a stellar track record and also prepare yourself to be a good giver. You can read reviews and rankings of volunteer programs and nonprofits on VolunteerMatch.org and CharityNavigator.com. You can also read my new book called The Social Cause Diet to discover service opportunities that match your strengths and interests and lead to more satisfying and effective experiences.
In summary, when serving, there are no guarantees that things will work out exactly as anticipated. Giving of ourselves does involve risk and the spirit of adventure. The unpredictability is part of the excitement. Keep your eyes open so you notice the pleasant surprises that come your way, and keep your wits about you when unpleasant ones arise. The flexibility you gain from being involved in experiences that cannot be perfectly controlled or orchestrated will enhance all areas of your life.
