The Gift of Servitude

The power of servitude is severely underestimated in our day. It seems as our world rocks on, more and more people are totally and wholly consumed with self. The thought of others exists only for personal benefit. People live for their own advancement and success, mostly.

Thankfully there are some trickles of hope, light, people doing what they can to serve those around them, helping those in need, the less fortunate.

 
But one thing is for certain: whether in an assigned position like that of ministry or living your life for those around you, the reward of serving always outweighs the energy expended. Ask anyone that’s ever wiped the nose of a snotty, 2 year-old in the church nursery or volunteered at the local soup kitchen. The teachers that go beyond the call of just teaching and lead students to be better citizens of society, youth workers that expend themselves to the battered and bruised teens that most of us wouldn’t waste the time of day on. Nurses that do more than just their “job”, but truly care. Mothers that sacrifice endlessly serving their young children day in and day out.
 
Each and every person can find a place to serve, no one is exempt.

It is therein, in this place that one truly finds it is more blessed to give than to receive.

We call evaluate our lives. Are we living totally for self each day, fulfilling solely our dreams and goals? Life is most fulfilling when we pour ourselves into others, when we use our time and talents for those around us.  

 

Are we being all you can for our family, our spouse and our children? In our job are you doing the minimal to get by or do we go above and beyond? Scraping in through life is so unsatisfying.

Husbands and wife can learn so much from living this way. Wait, what?!?! It’s not about what's in it for me?? It’s not about what makes me happy? . . . Yeah, ouch. . . serve your spouse . . . but that’s for another blog posting!

Serve people. Serve those around you, serve those you don't know. Live your life for others. Do what you can for others, always. Life will take on so much more meaning for you. In a quest to serve others, one can truly find himself/herself and that long-sought after happiness.

This thought came to me so strongly this past weekend when we reunited with some of the teens that had attended the youth group in which we served in Maine. Those teens are now the leaders, carting their youth group halfway across the country in a church bus to attend the national conference. It was so awesome to see these kiddos, well, young adults now, serving and doing an amazing job!

Chances are this has nothing to do with anything we did or our "wonderful" serving abilities. But the joy it brings seeing where they are today and how they are fulfilling the same role we served is insurmountable. Watching them lead and weary the same way we did in years past is priceless.

When we give ourselves to servitude we are not only blessing those in the here and now, but generations down the road will feel the effects of the sacrifice. Giving of ourselves is truly the ultimate gift, not only are the benefits continuous but we too receive back an amazing, unmatchable blessing!

 I have shewed you all things, how that so laboring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. Acts 20:35 KJV