Pencils in the Pew
“The greatest among you sh
all be your servant.”
Matthew 23:11(ESV)
Can I be honest with you? Sig
ning up to be a servant to all is not at the top of list. The thought of serving can be exhausting and overwhelming. Maybe we have that in common.
What is, however, at the top of my list is pleasing Jesus. I bet we have this common too.
I don’t want to please Jesus to be
the greatest, I want to please Jesus because I love Him. What do you do know? Another thing we have in common.
Unless we are plugged into our community or are a member of a local church, it isn’t always easy to see the needs of others. I found that once I became active in my church and got to know others, demonstrating the love of God by loving people wasn’t overwhelming. It wasn’t just another thing on my to-do list. My friend Chrystal Hurst puts it like this, “Showing love to others doesn’t need to be complex.
Here are some possible service opportunities, other than sharpening pew pencils.
An underprivileged child needs school supplies; you purchase a book bag and fill it with provisions needed for a successful school year.
A widow is unable to care for her lawn; you create and maintain a list of volunteers to take care of her yard needs.
A member of your church is unable to drive herself to church services; you leave home early each week to give her a ride.
A family in your neighborhood lost their home and all their belongings in a fire; you use your influence on social media outlets to generate assistance.
A shopping cart is left abandoned in the parking lot; you put it back in the return carousel.
The Pencil Sharpener’s love for Jesus is greater than his desire for recognition. What a great role model, and certainly in God’s economy, the greatest.
What about you? Does the list of examples generate some service ideas for you? Don’t be overwhelmed, serving doesn’t have be complex. Find one act of service that works in your schedule, commit to do it, and keep the secret between you and Jesus.
Love your devotion, and yes, when your heart is in the right place, it is not difficult to serve others.
Thank you for serving Him!
Thank you so much for this. I have been struggling to be content in what I do to serve others. This gave me a fresh perspective on the d subject. Amen
I love today’s devotional! Sometimes I feel that some things I do are not so special or that some people simply cannot see them or appreciate them but in today’s devotion you remind us that everything we do matters, even the simple things and if we don’t give up in doing what is good, at the proper time we will reap a harvest God has already promised for us. Today you remind me that the recognition of people is not the one that matters. Thank you so much for this devotion!