I used to think I had to serve someone in a huge way for it to be "counted" as an act of service. Have you ever felt that way? If I wasn't feeding the homeless at a shelter, painting a church, or cleaning out someone's house then it didn't really matter. My thought process was that serving had to be this big thing with an immediate visible difference; it had to be noticed for it to matter.
If that were the case, none of us would serve and it would be completely exhausting. I also feel like we would constantly be trying to out-serve one another and that defeats the purpose of serving.
Yes, serving someone can be in a big way. Those are important too! What I want to focus on is serving in all of the small, unnoticeable ways. The unseen. The things that don't feel like you're serving.
When I was in high school (you'll hear me reference high school quite a bit here because it was one of the most transformative four years of my life) I got along with pretty much everyone. The popular crowd, the athletic bunch, the socially awkward, the nerdy kids, and the average just-want-to-enjoy-life-and-friends group.
I'm saying this because in my own youth group days, my small group and I were keeping each other accountable. Each day we had to write down one area we experienced personal growth, one opportunity we had to serve someone, and one way we exercised self-control in order to accomplish a specific goal.
My acts of service for others looked something like this:
"Turned in _________'s homework for them."
"Let my mom drive my car all day."
"Carried an elderly man's tray back to his seat at Wendy's."
"Loaded the dishwasher."
"Loaned my pencil in class to someone I don't get along with."
"Talked with the girl no one talks to because she wears the same clothes everyday."
The times we are currently living in are hard, crazy, chaotic, and messy. Being others focused probably takes more intentionality and discipline because we all have our own stuff we're navigating, on top of the events in the world.
What if we didn't make serving this huge thing? What if we looked and prayed for all of the everyday, "small" ways to serve someone? What if we chose to serve someone who didn't look, talk, think, or act like us?
Serving is not reserved for the missionary who goes overseas.
Serving is not reserved for the pastor or volunteer team at church.
Serving is not reserved for the spiritually mature.
Serving is not reserved for the one who has a degree.
Serve: to do something for someone (not expecting anything in return) [italicized are my own words].
Jesus models this so well for us. He served others. He put others first. He met people's needs; spiritual, physical, emotional, social, mental, and relational. He interacted with the far off, crippled, adulterer, diseased, sick, demon-possessed, and the poor. No one was off limits. No thing was off limits.
Read these when you get a chance:
Matthew 8:1-4 (touches & heals a leper)
Luke 19:1-9 (interacts with a tax collector / rich)
John 13:1-17 (washes disciples feet)
John 4:1-45 (interacts with a Samarian woman at a well)
I'm not asking you to serve each day to check your "I served" box. I'm calling you to a lifestyle of servanthood. A lifestyle of showing the love of Christ to others in practical ways. A lifestyle of meeting people where they're at in the hopes that that interaction opens up the opportunity to share the Gospel. A lifestyle of showing the Christ follower God's love, mercy, and grace.
Give a homeless person a granola bar. Fold the laundry. Bring a co-worker their coffee they left in the microwave two hours ago. Listen to a friend process when it's inconvenient for you. Unload the dishwasher. Buy someone's coffee in the Starbucks Drive Thru. Take out the trash. Loan a pencil to the one you have a conflict with. Strike up a conversation with the person everyone else is laughing at.
I'm sitting at the table with you, encouraging you in all the ways you're serving the Lord and others. Challenging you to serve those who are different from you or whom you might be in conflict with right now. Sharing with you my shortcomings in this area and how I need the Lord to open my eyes to the needs of those around me.
[Guided Prayer]
Father open my eyes to the ways I can serve those around me. Give me the eyes to see people the way that you see them. Give me courage and boldness to serve someone and to disregard the thoughts and opinions of others. I pray that you would provide me with an opportunity to serve someone who is different than me. I pray you would provide me with an opportunity to show your love, mercy, and grace to someone. I pray you would provide me with the opportunity to share the Good News of Jesus Christ.
In Jesus' Name, Amen
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