Service: It's What We Do. It's Who We Are.

“Whoever wants to be great must become a servant. Whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave. That is what the Son of Man has done: He came to serve, not be served—and then to give away his life in exchange for the many who are held hostage.” – Matthew 20:28

It’s been a while. If you’ve been receiving my monthly newsletters, it definitely has been a beautifully busy swing into the third trimester of Mission Year. Over the past couple of months, we as a community have been growing relationally and spiritually. Week by week, we find ourselves doing the same thing – but learning a lot from living intentionally with a commitment (and consistency) of loving one another and our neighbors.

Last night at City Wide (to jumpstart our Friday Sabbath, you will typically find all of us at our city wide training sharing a meal, learning, reflecting, and worshipping together), we gleaned valuable lessons from Pastor Harvey Clemons from Pleasant Hill Baptist Church located in the Fifth Ward of Houston. Pastor Clemons mentioned that serving can easily be defined as a discipline to understand what you’re called to do. What we do (service) is an expression of who we are (servants). In the areas we are called, it is our responsibility to study and gain as much information and experience so that we can do everything to the best of our ability. Whatever field we are called into, we must recognize that we are all servants according scripture. As servants (which we all are in reflection to the way that Jesus loved and served us and also calls us to live), we must study the way in which Christ lived and served humanity.

I’ve found fulfillment and joy in serving this year and understand that it is leading me to a vocation that carries on the values that my heart has been growing in: seeking justice, loving intentionally, and a commitment to neighboring (verb) well. I may not exactly know where I’m headed, but this year has provided me with valuable insight into what God really means for me to love my neighbors and love Him. I want to continue to imitate and keep my eyes focused on the greatest servant humanity has ever seen.

I’m growing an addiction to loving God and people and serving others for Kingdom purposes. We as a community are not serving for recognition, but because through serving we are discovering  an aspect of God’s heart that our generation often neglects to explore in the most important and formative time of our lives.