Along the way I’ve been deceived by a false vision of service. In the past, the word “service” has conjured up a dark vision of a woman who’s been long taken advantage of; harried and exhausted, thinking of everyone except herself, she is no longer able to fully function.
I have since realized that a person who overcommits and is pounded into the ground by her own “selfless” acts is often a woman crying out for recognition. For her, the driving force behind her endless acts of service is the desire to be praised, rather than the selfless outpouring of unconditional love.
I recognize her because I’ve often seen her staring back at me from the bathroom mirror. I regularly find myself guilty of seeking recognition and praise for my acts of service. In fact, if I’m completely honest with myself, some of my most selfish moments are the moments when I’m “thinking of others.”
Christ personified the true spirit of service, so to find the beautiful, spirit-renewing truth of not just living but flourishing in an environment of unselfish and others-filled living, I must examine Christ’s perfect life.
Jesus, Who took service and others-centered living very seriously, often took private time away from the clamoring crowds to pray and meditate on God’s Word. He intentional sought quiet moments to commune with His Father because He knew that without a constant connection to His source of strength He would be unable to fully love others and live out that love in acts of selfless service.
Christ recognized that the persistent whispers of self could only be interrupted by a constant stream of love flowing from His Father. He knew that, like any relationship, a relationship with God is only cultivated by spending time with Him. So in the ultimate act of unselfish service Christ took time to insure that He was fully connected to His source wisdom and strength—God.
It was out of concern for others—to insure that the time spent with them was a time of full engagement—that Jesus took time to renew His connection with His Father.
Using Christ as my example, I acknowledge that the only way I can give every moment over to the loving service of others is to be fully connected with the ultimate source of wisdom, strength, and unfailing love—God. With God as my focus I will be filled with Him, and then and only then will the ever-present voice of “me, my, and mine” be silenced, allowing me to live a joyful, unselfish life of love and service.
So join me as I ask God to fill me with His unending love, transforming the drudgery of my life into a joyful journey of service.
Naked and Vulnerable (Thoughts from the Pot): Service enriches our lives and draws others to Christ.
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