Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Day Seven -- Men Set Apart: Servant's Heart

"The greatest among you shall be your servant."  Matthew 23:11

My mama's heart bursts on Sunday mornings when I see my sons eagerly pitching in to clean up after church.  You see, we are part of a church plant that meets in a local elementary school.  The use of this facility is such a blessing, but requires great service on the part of our members to tear down tables, set up chairs and sound equipment to create a sanctuary each week, and organize classrooms for Sunday School.  As soon as the day's events have culminated, it's time to put everything back in place for the school.

And each Sunday, you can find my sons, smiles spread from ear to ear, pitching in to move tables back, reset school rooms and put things back as gracious guests do.

Are they always so eager to serve?  Most times, yes -- unless it involves cleaning their rooms or the basement.  ;)  (Oh, but those are CHORES and it's not the same as serving, they say.)

Serving doesn't come naturally to everyone.  It's not everyone's gift.  But I want so desperately for my sons to be servants now AND when they are grown -- and sometimes that requires training from us and the Word.

We don't HAVE to serve others.  But Jesus did -- He led by serving.  And He said that if we want to be first, we'll need to be last.  He said that loving others, SERVING them, was serving HIM -- loving Him.

Today, as you pray over the ten prayers for a servant's heart, try finding ways to serve with your family.  Take meals to families in your church who need help.  Help serve soup to those less fortunate than you in a local Soup Kitchen.  Help fill sandbags for impending floods (we live along the Missouri River, and this is impacting many of our family members in devastating ways).  Participate in a Walk for Life for your local Pregnancy Center so they can meet the needs of women in unplanned pregnancies.  Offer to mow the widow neighbor's yard and shovel her snow.  Find ways to teach your sons the value of serving others -- and to do so without complaining or whining.  Serve JOYFULLY.

As you look over today's verses, what stands out to you?  How do you teach your sons the value of serving others?  How do you involve them in serving?  Share your thoughts here or on the Facebook group page.

Please know that I continue to cover you and your sons with prayer.  Is there anything specific you'd like me to pray for?  Let me know!  It's my privilege to lift you up!

1 comment:

mommy to many said...

this one was hard! because of the age my boys are, they are just getting out of the "me, me me " stage. but i know that all things are possible and that they learn by example. our oldest is getting what it means to serve others...we practice it in little ways now that will make a HUGE difference later.
one example we do daily is at dinner time all 7 of us sit down to eat and no one not even the baby is allowed to get up until EVERYONE is done eat. ( we fill in teh time with question like, what about today did you like most, how can we make it better, we also sing 4 songs.... by that time they are all done and they have to say, "thank you _____ for making me food. may i please be excused..." they then take their plates to the kitchen we help them understand that by cleaning up after themselves they are helping and being servant to mom and dad.... with daily job they are beginning to understand they are being "Servants"
the scripture that i was reminded of was "be faithful in the little things and God will bless you with bigger thigns (matthew 25:23)