"You Don't Know Me"

In an effort to be more mellow and in touch with feelings, I was listening to The Best of Ray Charles and one song popped out at me. While I understand it’s supposed to be a love ballad, I couldn’t help but hear the lyrics, “you don’t know me,” and thinking, that’s right, I may not know you, but I want to help you.

This past Christmas, many times I put money in the bucket for the Salvation Army. I don’t know the recipients, but I still want to help.

I may never meet a World Communion Scholar. Sure, I could say, “I don’t know you” and therefore not give. However, my heart says even though you don’t know them, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give.It is my hope that in 2009, even though “you don’t know me,” you will still give to worthy causes that truly make a difference in people’s lives – such as the Special Sundays, The Advance, V-Day.org or Heifer International.

Would you without hesitation say, “Yes, I will do as You say?”

As I was listening to “The Best from Rebecca St. James,” I reflected on the song Here I Am. An excerpt from the song:

God asks the question, “Whom shall I send?”
Now what will we answer?
Will we go and do as He says?
All that He wants is a heart, ready,
willing and waiting.

It’s easy to say “Yes, I will go and do as you say” if we don’t have to take immediate action. In theory, we would absolutely say yes.

But what if God asked you to sell your possessions and move your family to Burundi and set up a free health clinic? Would you without hesitation say, “Yes, I will go and do as You say?”

What if God asked you to sponsor an impoverished student to go to college, though it would require you to give up vacations and “extras?” Would you without hesitation say, “Yes, I will do as You say?”

What if God called your child to North Korea to be a missionary? Would you without hesitation say, “Yes, go and do as He says?”

What if God called you to be an ambassador for World Communion Sunday in your congregation? Would you without hesitation say, “Yes, I will do as You say?”


The last scenario is probably the easiest one to say “yes” to. God asks “Whom shall I send?” and He may just be seeking YOU. World Communion Sunday is one of the six churchwide Special Sundays of The United Methodist Church. The offering provides scholarships for U.S. (racial- and ethnic-minority) and international students. Students who receive scholarships study in a wide variety of fields: family pastoral care, Christian-Muslim relations, clinical psychology, peace and governance, crop production, law, health, rural development and more.

When God calls, I hope my heart will be ready, willing and waiting without hesitation to say “yes, I will do as You say” – if that means giving $50 to World Communion Sunday or living without the “extras” so someone else can go to college and have a better future.

Tracy Wood, Web Coordinator, Connectional Giving Team
United Methodist Communications