How God Called Me and My BIG CITY Law Firm
to Start a CHRISTIAN Legal Aid Clinic
Stephen A. Serfass
In spring 2014, God had been working in my heart for about six months, showing me how He planted me strategically at my law firm to use me in people's lives there. As He opened my eyes to that fact in a new way, I was confronted with how weak and broken I was -- feeling utterly incapable of, or worse, unconcerned, about being used by Him at my job. Recognizing my desire to be seen as a “good” lawyer, to make a lot of money, and to feel good about myself, I began to pray a simple prayer: “Help! Change me, Lord. Grant me Your eyes to see, to know what to do, and how to be in my workplace.”
But how? I stink at sharing my faith at the job. I get caught up so easily in the day-to-day work. Help, Lord. Help me see the opportunities you are giving me here. Help me to be used by Your Spirit here. God has answered and continues to answer that prayer in a variety of ways. But one of the most clear answers came through the Christian Legal Clinics of Philadelphia (CLCP). In the span of about two weeks, three different people introduced me to Pete Hileman, Executive Director of CLCP. “Steve, you've gotta meet Pete.” Pete sounded like a great guy; the kind of guy I'd like to meet. But I was busy. I mean, really busy. I didn't have time for any new commitments.
But God is gracious. I think He let me raise all of those objections, then directed three different people to introduce me to this man. OK, I get it Lord. And then it clicked - maybe this was God’s way of answering my prayer (“Help!”). So, I had lunch with Pete and heard his testimony about how God moved in his life and continues to do that today. I heard his heart for the city, for the lost. And I was moved. As I sat listening to him, I had a flood of ideas of things I could do to help. Introductions I could make that might help Pete expand his network, and what if we started a team at my law firm that could operate a clinic for CLCP?
I left the lunch and my good ideas and intentions went nowhere. I was busy! But then six weeks later, Ron Evans -- one of the men who introduced me to Pete -- invited my wife Joslyn and me to the CLCP annual fund-raising brunch. I didn't want to go. It was far from our home, and it would kill a Saturday morning. Plus, I knew what it would be like, and I really didn’t have time to give. We have five kids. I don't get enough time with them as it is, but to give a morning to some legal organization, really Lord? But somehow, I knew we needed to go.
And so, we went. And the Holy Spirit moved my heart that morning -- moved it past the point of wanting to help, thinking I should help, could help, had some ideas. Moved it to actually engage and do something. And here is my favorite part of the story - God made it so easy. He answered my prayer in a way that was so kind and full of grace and mercy. He said “OK, Steve, you asked me to help you see how I could use you in your job, in a place where you feel weak, feel like you don't know how to explicitly and expressly weave your faith into your work. Ready, Steve? Here is the answer, for today. All you have to do is invite 30 or so of your colleagues to come out and help two or three nights a year, three hours a night. Pete and Jaimee and Gary (at CLCP) will really do all the work. You just talk to people and organize the team.”
That was as easy as pie, because of how the Lord wired me. The next thing you know, we have 25 lawyers on our team and once a month I get to go to Germantown and do two things: (1) help local low-income people with their legal and spiritual needs, and (2) splash some living water on three or four of my colleagues and friends from the law firm. It is a true win-win-win situation. This is, for me, an opportunity to minister to two groups of people -- to the needy folks in Germantown and to the lawyers at my firm.
I recently had the privilege of leading a devotional at the home school co-op where two of my daughters go. The scripture I was assigned was Philippians 4:13, where Paul says “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” There is a lot of truth in that one little sentence. And looking at the fact that Paul was in prison when he wrote those words, had been beaten and really abused -- was in chains -- I don't think he meant that God would give him the strength to make a lot of money, have a super comfortable life, take it easy. I think Paul was saying God will give us the strength to overcome physical and spiritual and other difficulties, in a way that will bring Him glory, show Him to be strong and true even where we are weak and poor. He will work through us to minister to others even where, especially where, we are weak. He has revealed this truth to me in a much deeper way ever since I was introduced to Pete Hileman 15 months ago.
Stephen A. Serfass is a partner in the Life Insurance and Annuities Practice Group of Drinker, Biddle, & Reath, LLP in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.