If serving other people was the in thing to do I think more of us would do it! In life we are often caught up wanting to be "down", desiring to be popular, and wanting to be known, seen, acknowledged, and valued. The problem with this is that frequently in order to be acknowledged, valued, or popular we do the things that other people are doing or we do the things that we believe other people expect for us to be doing. Now this isn't always bad because a lot of times this means we try harder, run faster, give a little more all so we can come out on top and do our best. However, our lives are not about us or our personal successes! No, our lives are about doing what God has called us to do! Our lives are about being more like Jesus and being a servant to other. It is so hard in the society we live in to put others before ourselves when we are constantly receiving messages from the word that say, "Do you!" The very first point in today's lesson is one that blessed me, "servants think more about others than about themselves." I appreciated the explanation/reminder that this does not mean that we are called to think less of ourselves, but simply to think of ourselves less. I think that if we could just put down our worries, frustrations, and schedules long enough to help, serve, support, or encourage someone else then maybe God could work our stuff out without us further complicating things by always trying to "fix it." I believe that God wants us to lose our lives by adding to and sacrificing for other peoples lives. Jesus' life and ministry was all about servitude and although he is celebrated now, during his service he never received the Young Man of the Year Award or an award for leadership or service everything he did he did it out of a sense of call from God and a love of God's people.
We cannot get caught up in what other people are doing or not doing, we must simply push on and do the things that we know are right. I can remeber being in High School and hating my god-father for making me get up every single Saturdat at 9am to study for the SATs and so every couple of weeks I would muster up the courage to tell him that I didn't understand why I had to be up studying on a Saturday morning when everyone else in the WORLD was sleeping! Each time he would look at me and simply say don't worry about anybody else, just do what you have to do! And I believe that this is what God is saying to us right now, it doesn't matter what anybody else is doing all that matters is that we serve, we make a difference, we tithe, we worship, we encourage others, we live like we have some sense! True servants of God can't be caught up in what other people are doing or saying because thay are too busy trying to serve and please God!
I think the picture above of the Walmart smock with the popular slogan of "How May I Help You?" is one that reminds us that we should live our lives constantly seeking to serve others and to serve God. So, on today I am going to do my best (it's harder some days than others) to forget about myself and to be of service to God and God's people. I don't need a title, a robe, a plaque or a position what I really desire is to be of service to God and God's people. On today are you willing to wear the attitude of the blue smock in your spirit?
~Min. Shareka aka Swift Turtle
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