A Contagious Smile
Present day service has taken on a meaning of it’s own, based entirely on the wrong criteria. Here in the United States, over two centuries, we have transfigured ourselves from an agri-culture, to an industrial-culture to our present day status as a service-culture. This should not in any way be mistaken as a Christian service movement, because our culture, primarily serves the god of profit who presides over the larger family of money. In reality many of us have moved farther away from our Christian tenets during this bicentennial period. Serving human kind is not the primary objective in Christianity either, the real purpose for us is to serve the One, who has served us selflessly from the dawn of our time. We do that by selflessly serving those who have received fewer earthly blessings and/or who have greater needs than we have. The uneven fallout of earthly needs is a bi-product of our self serving ambitions, not any shortfall of God’s grace. For those who are serving for a paycheck, you’re to be commended by your family, for those serving for recognition alone you should be ashamed, but for those serving to become more like Jesus Christ, you should and will be eternally blessed.
It should be expected that those in need will not always show gratitude for the efforts of others, for their suffering has already taken a toll on their bank of emotional well being and gratuity. Their spiritual well being has also been victimized, as many wrongfully blame God for their suffering or pain, while the real culprits are their leaders, neighbors, some families or even themselves. God remains watchful of a giver’s motives and purpose, what we refer to as the true condition of our hearts. When we serve God, who may in turn use us to serve His other children, His constant, unbiased appreciation radiates like sunlight. Serving God selflessly (as He serves us) accomplishes much more than supplying earthly needs, it fills the spiritual wells of both the server and those being served. We should always strive to keep the big picture in mind. God created a world, where He could provide for all of our needs. We screwed up taking matters into our far less capable hands and have been paying for that decision ever since. God wants to return to the original plan, a plan which we grow closer to every day. When we can find it in our hearts to serve God in everything we do, He will be the first to know. His, will be a contagious smile, which will pass from life to life and then from this life to the next. Lest we forget, Christ came to serve and to show us how.
JC Calkins with COMMON SENSE 4 UNCOMMON PEOPLE
1 Comment
Leave a Response
I often believe that I have been such a dimsppointaent. But, know that when God sees me he sees Jesus. But, here is what I often think about. If God sees Jesus who died for all of our sins, what does Jesus see when he looks down on earth. I try so very hard to be a good person and when I try really hard, I fail. But, when I run to Jesus to say I am sorry, he holds out his arms takes me into a tight hug and tells me it is okay. Go try again but, let me help you. Each day is better than the day before.