The Gift of Administration

I remember the first time anyone ever asked me if I’d considered the idea of becoming a full-time missionary.  While I certainly did not lack the zeal, the same script kept running through my mind: I’ve seen what it takes to be a missionary, and I don’t have it.  I remember looking to the men and women who had made the greatest impact on my spiritual journey, and seeing a common thread.  They were leaders.  They were intelligent.  People wanted to follow them.  Above all, they were always out in front.  They spoke eloquently with words that convicted a room of college students to take another step towards holiness.  “That’s not my gifting”, I thought.

Three years later, I realized I was right.  At the same time, I realized I couldn’t be more wrong.  Yes, it’s true, I’ll probably never be at the top of the list to give the next talk on a retreat.  Where I was wrong, however, was in thinking that it takes an upfront personality and strong communication skills to work in ministry.

In one the more commonly recognized letters (1 Corinthians 12) from St. Paul, we hear an exhortation towards unity within the Body of Christ: “As a body is one, though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ” (1 Corinthians 12:12).  The comparison to a human body is usually preached on by talking about the importance of arms, legs, organs, etc. and how a body does not function properly without each.

Prior to that and throughout scripture, St. Paul continuously lays out different giftings of the Holy Spirit.  These are sometimes referred to as charisms.

“There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there are different forms of service but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit. To one is given through the Spirit the expression of wisdom; to another the expression of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the one Spirit; to another the mighty deeds; to another prophecy; to another discernment of spirits; to another varieties of tongues; to another interpretation.  But one and the same Spirit produces all of these, distributing them individually to each person as he wishes” (1 Corinthians 12:4-11). 

As my first year as a full-time missionary comes to a close, I can say I’ve earnestly come to appreciate St. Paul’s wisdom.  Right around the time I was asked about full-time missionary work, I had an opportunity to take a charismatic gift inventory test in which I was presented with a handful of potential charisms.  An important part of this inventory was understanding the Church’s teaching on charisms (“graces of the Holy Spirit which directly or indirectly benefit the Church, ordered as they are to her building up, to the good of men, and to the needs of the world” CCC 799) and the reality that a simple test cannot and should not define your spiritual gifts.  After all, the “Holy Spirit…[distributes] them individually to each person as he wishes” (1 Cor 12:11).  Additionally, charisms must be discerned and practiced in order to properly identify them apart from a mere talent.

One of the handful of potential charisms I received from the inventory was the gift of administration.   At the time, I overlooked it because I was studying business.  Of course, it made sense that my field of study might manifest itself as a charism, but I really didn’t pay much attention to it.  Additionally, on a long list of gifts, administration isn't usually one of the most desired.  I remember hearing missionaries I knew lament about being asked to do administrative tasks.  It sounded pretty bland and unimportant, and it certainly almost never garnered high praise.  

Though the latter may be true, my understanding of its importance to ministry has increased.   I can say with confidence now that God has given me the gift of administration, and the more I choose to press into that gift, the more the Lord continue to deepen it.  I hear stories about other missionaries praying for someone else to receive this particular gift.  I thank God that He chose me.  

Daily, I have the opportunity to build the Kingdom where God has gifted me and where I am most comfortable doing so.  Sure, signing paperwork for the next retreat doesn’t seem glorious.  Nor does setting up a website for students to sign up for that same retreat.  In my opinion, the glory of it lies in perspective.  If an administrator sees his or her job solely as pushing paperwork around, it’s going to be difficult to find joy in approaching work each day. When the mindset changes to How can I utilize the gifts God has given me to make it easier for my fellow missionaries to reach more men and women? then one can begin to see the fruit of such a gift.

I don’t necessarily always enjoy the tedious and monotonous tasks that I sometimes I need to handle.  Where I find the greatest life is when a fellow missionary or student approaches me to ask an administrative question that clearly has them flustered or confused, and I’m able to address their needs immediately.  In some cases, I’m even able to save them time from having to find a solution themselves.  Praise God for the ability to be a vessel in such a way.

Sometimes, administrators probably seem like the forgotten child in the background.  When something operates as expected, people typically don’t think about why that is the case.  If, however, something goes awry, everyone immediately knows who is at fault.  Sure, there are times when I’ve felt the brunt of criticism.  But what good is a gift if one isn’t willing to risk failure or judgment in using it? 

Ultimately, it is the satisfaction of knowing I'm able to provide a unique gift to help someone else that brings me the most life as an administrator.  After all, that is the true manifestation of all of the charisms: “graces of the Holy Spirit which directly or indirectly benefit the Church, ordered as they are to her building up, to the good of men, and to the needs of the world.”  They are gifts given to be at the service of others.  

Recently, a fellow missionary described my role with an analogy: “You’re like a liver.  I have no idea what you do, but I know I’d die if you weren’t there.”  Of course, like any part of the body, there’s an important role to play and each is necessary or it wouldn’t exist.  What I really like about the analogy is the recognition that the body doesn’t need to know what the liver does.  As long as the liver knows its role and also knows its own importance to the body’s survival, it can continue pressing on with confidence that it plays in invaluable function.