"For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many." Mark 10:45 (NLT)
The sunny, spring afternoon made me grateful to be outside. A warm breeze fluttered between my neighbor and me as we watched our children play. Looking around, I realized my 4-year-old had gone missing - again. He had a habit of disappearing at least once an hour.
We lived on a quiet cul-de-sac and I knew Griffin couldn't be far. As I stood up to search, I saw him coming to me with a "surprise." My son had gotten himself a rather large spoonful of peanut butter. Before I could open my mouth to discuss him helping himself without adult supervision, he said, "I brought some for you, too."
He frequently brought me snacks when he served himself, justifying in his mind that he could not get in trouble if he gave something to his mom. Then I spied two other spoonfuls of peanut butter. Griffin quickly added, "I brought some for my friends, too." His thoughtfulness made me smile as I enjoyed my snack.
As I watched my boy offer his friends the treat, the Holy Spirit led my mind to Mark 10:45: "For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Jesus is our greatest example of selflessness. Scripture is full of examples of Him serving others - from going out of His way to talk to the woman at the well, to healing lepers, to washing His disciples' feet, to the ultimate sacrifice of giving His life. I often get so caught up in my own needs that I do not think of others or look for ways to serve like Jesus. But watching Griffin that day inspired me.
He taught me several valuable lessons:
Consider the needs of others.
Griffin felt hungry and believed that his friends might be hungry also.
Serve generously and without reservation.
Griffin served his friends heaping spoonfuls of peanut butter.
Serve with gladness.
Griffin delighted in sharing with others.
Opportunities to serve are all around us. It's easy to find them when we are at home: doing someone else's chore or fixing someone a special meal during a hard week. But God gives us plenty of opportunities to imitate Him outside our houses too. We can hold the door for a mom pushing a stroller. Help a neighbor rake their yard. Or offer to get someone a refill while at a restaurant.
God will put someone in our path whom we can serve today. Let's consider their needs and serve them gladly, without reservation!
Father, enable me to see the needs of others. Give me the confidence to serve without hesitation. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
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