God's Wisdom In A Nutshell

Hello,

If you have read the New Testament, you will know that Jesus served others. He provided food for thousands, healed many diseases and even got on His knees to wash the feet of His followers.

If Jesus- the King of the World- served others, why do we think we are exempt?

We were not brought into this world to make the most money, go on the most vacations, buy the most stuff, have the most fun and showcase this edited life on instagram. We were created to serve God, which means to serve others. An act of selfless service always reflects God’s love for humanity.

Serving can turn an unbeliever into a believer. For instance, if an atheist sees an ordinary Christian serving in some capacity- a capacity that will not bring acclaim to the server but simply helps another- that observer may get a glimpse of God’s love. If sinful people can be good to strangers, how much more will our heavenly Father be good to us?

The best way to start serving is in the family. Children can obey their parents and do chores around the house. Older children can look after their aging parents, helping them with tasks that are too difficult in their advancing age. Spouses can pull their share of the work- perhaps more than their share- in order to display Christlike character. Moms and dads can shelve their desire to be entertained by T.V. or an evening out with friends, in order to show that they hold their obligation as a parent as more important. This is not martyrdom it is enjoying the blessing of children- children that so many infertile couples would give anything to have.

If we look back in time to the 1950’s and 1960’s the family was a tighter unit. Mom’s gave up intellectual stimulation to stay at home to do the mundane tasks of housekeeping and cooking in order to create a sense of security for their children. Who doesn’t like coming home after work or school to the smell of dinner in the oven and a mom/spouse waiting to greet us at the door? In today’s society, we have exchanged servanthood for independence, money, insurance benefits and a higher level of living- but is it really better?

Learning about the Lord’s priorities and deciding to make them our priorities, we will create a life of serving the family which helps to create a happy home filled with followers of God.(Prov 31) Not only will  this enhance family relations causing tension between husband and wife to go way down,  it will be a model for future generations to place a higher value on what God values – people- rather than money or a social life.  God rewards obedience.  He can reward our servanthood by providing a home based business idea for the homemaker.  This would allow the mom to use her intellect between her child care and homemaking responsibilities.

“I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name.”(Isaiah 45:3)

Having a mom prioritize serving her family over earning money creates children who feel loved and respected- dissolving many problems other dual income families have to deal with. We don’t want to buy into Satan’s lies that we won’t have enough money for retirement or college funds- God provide abundantly to those who follow His ways.

Servanthood is not simply found in the home. When we are single or empty nesters we have extra time which can be used to serve our community. Serving and connecting with others in our neighborhoods turns neighbors into friends and makes everyday life that much better. We are all in this life together, doing the best that we can and by supporting others with some of our time, our own joy increases.

“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”(Luke 6:38)

This verse is telling us that what we give to others will come back to us. When we give our children most of our time, they will enjoy being around us and will find fulfillment in family life as well. Life is not all about entertainment because fun needs to be repeated- it’s a bottomless pit. God provides instant  contentment when we decide to be obedient to His teachings. The peace and contentment the Lord gives doesn’t go away unless we walk away from His lifestyle directives.  Others may look at our life as a simple life, but those in the “know” understand that we will gain more peace, have far less childrearing problems and feel more joy by following the Lord and His principles. Leaving space in our week to serve will not earn us a physical paycheck, but it pays through God’s blessings and in eternity. God’s ways are always best- leading us on paths that create a life of joy.

“Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”(Matt 20:26b-28)

Food For Thought,

Lisa