Show & Tell Tuesdays: Serving Others

I'm linking up today with Momfessionals for Show & Tell Tuesday. Today, is all about service projects or mission trips. I have to be honest, this is an area of major weakness for me. But, this post also comes in a very timely manner. 

Yesterday, the girls and I headed back to church after taking several weeks off due to being out of town, having family in town, late night football games, etc. We just have had a crazy few weeks. I could totally tell though that we needed to get back to church stat, and I'm so thankful that I took the girls Sunday. DJ couldn't join us because he didn't get home until 4:30 am on Sunday from this weekend's football game and he was meeting his uncle (who had been visiting us) for lunch before he headed back to the football office. 

Anyway, our sermon yesterday was on the Kingdom. God tells us that we cannot serve two kingdoms. One being, our own kingdom- money, ourselves- those sinful ways that only benefit one person. Instead, we need to be serving God's kingdom. We do this through loving one another, serving one another, being present, reading our Bibles, going to church... Basically, living the way that Jesus taught us to live.

Lately, I've been thinking about the story in the Bible where Jesus washes his disciples feet. In Jesus' times, that was a servants job- to wash someone's feet. He lowered himself down to being a servant to wash the feet of others. It's such a small act with a powerful punch in the gut. If Jesus, can serve others, why can't we?

As I was preparing this post for today, I came across this verse about serving others: "You, my brothers, were called to be free. But, do not use your freedom to indulge in the sinful nature; rather; serve one another in love." Galatians 5:13

Here's the deal, sometimes I think that we believe we have to be doing some amazing service projects or going on mission trips to be serving God. I think as one reads through some of the link-up posts today, you may feel defeated. I have never been on a mission trip. It's definitely something that I want to do and I 1,000% feel the need to do so. I have a dream of one day going to a third-world country and serving other people. I want to go to an orphanage and love on those babies. But, the timing has never been there. I know that I am called to serve God, and I know that in God's timing, I will be on a mission trip hugging on little kids who don't have their mother, or I will be in a remote village reading a Bible story to someone who has never heard a Bible story before. 

But, right now, I'm finding ways of serving those that I'm around. 

I found this quote last year sometime, and it rings true to me every single day. Right now, I'm serving my children. I'm teaching my children about God and Jesus and their love. And one day, my kids are going to be able to go on a mission trip too and show God's love for other people because they've seen God's love through me. Oh gosh, I pray they have. I pray every day that I don't fail them in teaching them about God's love. 

Not only do I serve my children, but I also pray that I serve my husband, my family, my friends, and my co-workers. You don't have to go half way around the world to find someone to serve. God puts people in our lives every single day and wants us to serve those people. Give them a hug, let them know you're there, pick them up a coffee, babysit their kids, cook a dinner, give another mother a look of understanding when her kids are being rambunctious and she's at the end of her rope. Offer a smile, a thank you, hold a door open.  

You see, serving doesn't have to be big and bold. It can be small and feel unseen.

And then, I came across this being shared on Facebook, and it hit home that the girls and I could get involved in some random acts of kindness next month. Wow! What a way to serve other people. 

I challenge each of you to take a part too and find a way that you can serve others, but in a small way, not a "pat yourself on the back because oh look at me and all the amazing things I'm doing" sort of way.

Thanks for reading today.

If you want to join the link, here's the list for the rest of the year. 

And, you can find my other Show & Tell Tuesdays posts here.