Sunday, January 8, 2012

Do Unto Others...

When you see the precious faces of the starving children flash across your TV screen, are you moved to action? What about the faces of animals that have been treated inhumanly? Thousands of difficult pictures flood our minds each year. This program needs a volunteer; this cause needs cash to survive; these children need those supplies to learn. We open our wallets and we share a part of our bounty. Then we walk patting ourselves on our backs, all the while saying to ourselves - "good job".

But serving with our hands, our time and our emotion - that's another chapter of a different book! I want to do what I want to do, when I want to do it! That's me, the not so enthusiastic servant. I work all week, I have my own chores to do. There are places I want to go and people I want to visit. Why should I have to help someone else with theirs? I raised my kids. I've worked on my own home. I'm tired and at my age I deserve a rest.

Selfish? Self-centered? You've got that right. What if it were me who needed someone to help me understand the papers I'd received in the mail today? What if I needed someone to take me out on errands? What if I were the confused face looking at me? What if?

I'm not saying that we should go beyond our boundaries or our levels of energy. What I am saying is to look at that other person through the eyes of Jesus. See the need, but be wise and shrewd with your response. Someday it might just be you who needs someone to serve you.

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