Service – What’s the Big Deal?

I think sometimes we make it harder than it is.

In order to meet our Service Quota, we must do at least one (preferably several) of the following:

A) Teach a Sunday School class

B) Regularly work in a soup kitchen

C) Attend various and sundry board (or is it bored?) meetings

D) Take your elderly neighbor to the grocery store

Somehow we’ve been led to believe that if we are not performing some large, time-consuming task then we are not “serving” (you get bonus points if it’s also a great financial sacrifice). 

But is that what Jesus says?

If anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.  (Matt 10:42)

The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ (Matt 25:40)

Hmmm.  Quantitatively speaking, giving one cup of cold water qualifies as service.  Technically speaking, “whatever” also qualifies, even if it is to the “least of these.”

So…maybe a friendly smile at the cashier who is having a bad day also qualifies as service.  Perhaps, to the store employee, putting the shopping cart in the corral instead of leaving it in a parking space qualifies.  Maybe waiting another thirty seconds to enter the building so that you can hold the door open for the elderly neighbor is service. 

Maybe it’s not the size or the degree of sacrifice that makes our action “service.”  Maybe it’s the motive, the heart behind the action, that makes it so.  

 

A smile.  A cup of cold water.  “Whatever.”

Maybe it doesn’t have to be so hard.