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How can I serve you?

I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy. (Rabindranath Tagore)

For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. (Galatians 5:13)

God calls us to serve one another, but do we really understand how service actually works? I think we have a general idea of service as the 'art of helpful activity'. As God sees it, service is more than 'giving' or 'helping' - it provides for a specific need. When we give of ourselves - time, talent, or even our treasure - it honors God greatly when it provides for a specific need.

Service is best when it is Christ-based. Keep him at the center of all you do, and you will find opportunities abound for you to share from the 'wealth' of what he has given you. It may not be monetary wealth, but that wealth of wisdom, grace, and goodness he has poured into our lives can be poured into the lives of those we each touch today. We can never discount the 'value' of what God has given to us when we put it to use by serving one another.

How can you serve another today? Does someone need a lift to the store? Offer them a ride and perhaps even buy their groceries this week. Did a friend's washer go on the blink, and they have nowhere to wash their clothes other than a laundromat? Have them come over to wash at your house, then share a meal with them as they do. There are loads of practical ways we can serve one another!

Maybe the least thought of types of service are those on a more 'spiritual' or emotional level. I have a friend who posts every Wednesday for others in her feed to share their prayer requests. She has dedicated (set aside) a day to 'serve' others in prayer. Not your calling? How about lending a hand to a friend preparing to move, or going on a fishing trip for the day so your friend can unwind a bit from the daily grind? There are tons of opportunities to serve - we just need to be open to them! Just sayin!
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