Too often when we think of serving, we think of it as a good deed that we can check off of our list for the week, month, or year. However, serving isn’t just a “good deed,” it’s the position of your heart. It’s a space of humility and gratitude. Humility: Jesus being the greatest became the least of his disciples and served them by washing their feet. Gratitude: This helps us to refocus on what we have vs. what we are missing. This keeps us humble and mindful. Living in a fast-paced world with lots going on in our lives makes it convenient to see through the lens of “what can be done for me?” vs. “what can I do for others?” I remember, as a little girl, making a deal with my mom that she would buy me bulk candy every year in November to sell at my school out of my backpack! Come mid-December, I would take all of my hard earned money, pay mom back, and she would then take me to an inexpensive store where I would buy all of my family Christmas gifts and ship them off to them. I did this for 3 years, and not once did I have a thought to buy myself a gift instead. The idea of receiving a gift from 7-year-old me would bring them joy, and I knew it; I wanted them to feel loved, and that was the greatest reward for me. Today, this is my same heart and thought process. I want others, including my family and friends, to always be reminded through my acts of service how loved and significant they are. If and when you serve, here are two questions that I propose to ask yourself.
• When I serve, do I expect something in return?
• Does serving others genuinely bring me joy?
It’s good to examine our hearts and the intent of why we do what we do.
God has called us to servanthood, and I believe this is a tool that will bring us to a level of fulfillment in our lives that we cannot attain without it. It is truly His heart. A beautiful addition to your morning prayer might be to ask God, “How can I be used today to help someone?” When you pray this, be watchful for opportunities to be of service, and I encourage you to be obedient to God and participate in those opportunities to serve and love others as they are placed before you. Remember that there’s no service too big or too small. In this season of gratitude and thanksgiving, remember to seek out opportunities to serve others around you that you are thankful for.