Serving Others

Day 5

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Romans 12:1 (ESV)

              The Covid year of 2020 changed things. We went on spring break and the kids never returned to school.  I suddenly became a third grade and pre-k teacher along with my other two part-time jobs. And for the record, I was promptly fired as a teacher by both of my children by the end of the school year.

              One of my jobs is the Outreach Coordinator for our church. In 2019, we had just opened a small food pantry to help with transient and homeless folks. When shut-downs happened in March, our 10-15 people that we helped each month began climbing. We had 30 in March. 50 in April. And 70 May. We outgrew our tiny closet space just as the church shut down inside services and moved to drive-in worship on Sundays. Our deacons stepped up and built us a new space in the outside barn and that summer we served food to the people of our county every Tuesday.

              But something happened that summer we never expected. People who came through our line weren’t only in need of food; they needed engagement. Most of their churches were closed and many of them were isolated to a lonely home by themselves. No one was hugging or touching each other. Masks covered facial expressions. The people coming through our line needed connection with other people. They needed relationship.

              During that time, we had a public figure volunteer with us at one of our drive-through distributions. I had her work with me. We loaded cars, I called people by name, and we talked beyond surface level with our patrons. About halfway through the distribution, she paused while loading a car and looking me in the eyes. “This isn’t about food, is it?”

              I grinned. “No. It’s about people.”

              That day she learned what God had been teaching us throughout the Covid quarantine: serving others matters more than food. Feeling valued, loved, respected, and cared for builds relationships. Walking from car to car during a time when people feared getting sick offered opportunities to build relationships and share Christ’s love with people who desperately needed connection. Some even referred to our distributions as their church service and asked for our pastor to come talk and pray with them. And do you know what else happened as we served? Our problems and struggles became smaller.

              Many of our students have no idea how to focus on others instead of themselves. Raised behind screens and with parents who are often unavailable, we are educating a me-focused generation. What if we could teach them the value of serving others? What if we created a classroom focused on out-serving the next person? Just like the people desperate for connection in those pantry lines, serving someone else selflessly could open the door for others to fully engage with people they normally wouldn’t hang out with. How can you create an other’s centered classroom with a heart to serve those around them?

Do the Heart Work

1.      How could you teach your students to serve others?

2.      Have you ever served others? What was it like? How did it make you feel?

3.      Do you make it a regular habit to engage in service opportunities? Why or why not?

Digging Deeper

Read Romans 12:9-21 (NLT)

Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all! Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable.  Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.

Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord. Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.” Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.

              Paul gives us practical instructions about how we are to serve others. Are you seeking to live this way? Are you modeling this lifestyle for your students?

If You Get Spare Time 

              Think about the coworkers you have in your hall, on your wing, or within your building. How can you engage with them this week by practically serving them? How could serving them change the atmosphere in your part of the school? Challenge yourself to serve a coworker once a week  for the next several weeks.