Serving with Humility

"...the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:28)

Travis and the kids and I spent several days with my parents and my sister's family for the Thanksgiving holiday, and we had the greatest time.  Unfortunately, we aren't able to all get together as often as we would like, so I always look forward to the holidays with my family with a little extra excitement.  The obvious perks of the holidays--family, food, and football--make for a lot of fun.  But, this year, my eyes were opened to another not so obvious joy of the holiday:  the opportunity to serve.

On the Sunday of Thanksgiving week, our pastor was preaching from Romans 13 about living life lovingly, and he posed this question:  "Who will you love this week, and how will you do it?"  The answer that came immediately to me was that I would love my family by serving them.  In the past, I've tended to treat our visits to my parents' house as my little vacation.  Although I'd be caring for and spending time with the kids, I'd sit back and relax while my mom (and sister) did most of the busy work.  This time, though, I realized that I shouldn't go to be served, but to serve.  Who am I to deserve a pass on serving?  After all, even Jesus came to serve.

I still have a long way to go in the area of servanthood, for to be a perfect servant would require a complete putting to death of self.  But, I am thankful that God is working in my heart to cultivate in me a desire to serve and a joy in doing so.  I pray that He will continue to give me eyes to see opportunities to serve and that He will continue to teach me to "do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind [to] regard [others] as more important than [myself]" (Philippians 2:3).

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