Let Me Count the Ways

In 1850, Elizabeth Barrett Browning asked, “How do I love thee?” Then she answered, “Let me count the ways,” and described her love for Jesus and how he walked beside her. Every day. In every way.

When Jesus comes alongside us, he saves, heals, comforts, and equips. Then, he commands us to imitate him. “Go and make disciples of all nations,” he says. “Freely you have received, freely give,” he challenges. “The leader must be a servant,” he declares. “Comfort those who mourn,” he admonishes.

Paraclete associates dive into our world’s quagmire to come alongside everyone the Holy Spirit leads them to. Then, he directs them to administer God’s grace in a myriad of ways. Myriad? That’s a big number. He made us stewards of each ministry, along with the resources he provides to fulfill them. And stewardship obligates us to count. But what should we count? Things? Actions? People? Responses? Hours? If we’re counting ways to demonstrate love, as Elizabeth says, we quickly arrive at two options: either count nothing or try to number the drops of an ocean. Choosing nothing conceals his light under a basket. Adding up water molecules smacks us with an impossible task. Fortunately, God steps in to offer a third choice—the fruit of our associates’ efforts reveals their love.

At the end of 2022 (we’re still tallying up 2023), we can describe the ministries of Paraclete’s 113 associates with these broad-stroke numbers:

• 25 – average number of years they served in missions
• 93 – countries they served
• 18 – languages they spoke
• 20 – organizational boards they served on
• 150 – services they offered
• 2,650 – people they counseled, mentored, coached, or discipled
• 12,394 – people they taught

Then, if, for example, we focus on the 150 services Paraclete associates offered that year, the four most used ministries were:

• Mentoring: 29 associates
• Encouragement: 26 associates
• Coaching: 17 associates
• Bible studies: 20 associates

All ministries count something. As a missionary pilot, I calculated hours flown, number of passengers, pounds of cargo, number of landings, etc. But all our numbers, in themselves, prove nothing. The fruit that matters reveals itself in the transformed lives our associates leave in their wake. The Lord sees and knows immediately. We humans need prayer, time, and fellowship. So, what part has he called you to?