I had just had a long, hard week at work. The chores and ‘honey-do’ list were piling up like leaves in the fall. I did not want to spend ‘my’ Saturday doing work for someone I did not know with all I had to get done. I reluctantly loaded the car with tools, tarps and the entire family. We were headed to the Big-Serve, which is a service project my church has been doing for several years. Rather than have church that Sunday, we go out into our community to the homes of the needy and elderly and ‘be’ the church for a weekend. We paint, we repair, we cut, we mow, we clean, and we serve. As I watched my family and many other church members serve that day, I felt more satisfied and more blessed than ever before. The chores and to-do lists didn’t seem so important anymore. Seeing the smile and gratitude on the faces of those we served was priceless.
What had just happened? Well, my heart was out of sorts. I was being selfish and only wanted to serve my own personal needs. Do you get like this too? Is your heart self-serving? If we aren’t careful our hearts can lead us astray – and that usually means far from God. But God had a different plan – and it’s perfect. And on that weekend, in serving someone other than myself, it felt right, like this was what I was supposed to do. God calls us to serve others. The question is why don’t we do it more often? It shouldn’t be just one day a year. We can serve anyone at any time. Just open your eyes and look around you – opportunities are everywhere.
Mark 10:45 ~ For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Proverbs 27:19 ~ As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the real person.
Philippians 2:4 ~ Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
“Dear Lord and Heavenly Father, forgive us for being selfish and hard-hearted. Help us to look for and find opportunities to serve others. It’s in the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.”