Servanthood

by Proverbs 31 Woman!

TRUE GREATNESS IS NOT DEFINED BY WHAT WE GET BUT BY WHAT WE GIVE.

Bible Study passage: John 13:1-20

Something to think about:
- Who are people who have modeled a lifestyle of service for you?
- In what ways are ou serving others today?
- What gets in the way of servanthood for you?

Lessons for life:
When Jesus taught His disciples the true meaning of greatness, He taught with a towel and a basin. He washed their feet - the duty of a house servant.

We live in a competitive and self-aggrandizing world. Examples of humility, kindness, helpfulness, and caring for others first - servanthood - are hard to find.

Great is the reward, the sense of purpose, the self satisfaction of one who follows the Master's example.

Real life confessions:
Being an organized person, I'm almost always doing the Martha role: planning, preparing, cooking, setting up, and cleaning up for activities I am involved with. Most often, may it be affairs of family, friends coming together, or church ministry, I rarely take on a Mary role of mixing and mingling when there's a big "thing" coming.

Recently, christmas has taken over me. I had visitors coming to visit, relatives spending the holiday season with us. I have been cooking, cleaning and just doing about anything to keep the house in tip top shape. Often, I cannot help but feel the sourness when I see the kids and friends sit, laugh and just having a wonderful time while I am doing the dirty work around the house. "Why can't I be doing that instead of all this boring and hard work? I hear myself thinking." This negative feeling was painful, and I knew it grieved the Lord, for it grieved me as I see myself reacting in such an angry way.

In one of the dinners I have hosted at home, one guest came up to me and said, "I have enjoyed this Christmas dinner you have prepared for us. It's more than what a 5-star restaurant can offer. Thank you for sharing it with us."

I was reminded that God made me the way I am - a Martha .... and it is a blessing. People may not notice the details of a well-run event, but God does. He sees everything and rewards us out of our sincere motives to serve others.

And do you know what? I have found that I can still listen to another and speak words of friendship and encouragement while my hands are in the sink, washing dishes!

Prayer:
Thank you, God, for sending Jesus into my life and heart with the gift of salvation. Help me to honor that gift through service to others.