Love looks like something

Thursday, June 20, 2013 Posted by Sara

Greatness is so appealing. I've noticed kids tend to share similar dreams of being president, a famous athlete, actor, doctor or singer. Even from a young age we want to excel, move in power, and be known. All things, I think God built into us. It's just the world has given us a slightly different route for pursuing greatness. Our role models suggest a tricky path in which much of the focus is on ourselves, and in the end may leave us feeling more empty than full of anything - much less the greatness we seek.

With Christ, greatness is all about love. And love looks like something. It looks like service.

"Whoever wants to be great must become a servant. " Mark 10:43

Several years ago while living in Cairo working as a missionary, we experienced a terrible ice storm. Many communities in southern Illinois, Missouri, and Kentucky were without power for weeks in the bitter cold. Our staff had been trained to run a shelter through the American Red Cross and stepped in to help distribute food and manage the influx of people at our local elementary school while our community worked hard to get the power back on.

We took turns serving food and staying overnight running the shelter (a blessing from the arctic-like bedrooms waiting at home). On one of the nights I stayed over, I was presented with a unique opportunity to serve and love on one of the women staying at the shelter. This woman was older, brought there in a wheel chair, and suffering from some digestive ailments which left her crying out every 10-15 mins throughout the night for help to get to the bathroom and then back to bed. It was an exhausting night, but I remember the Holy Spirit encouraging me every time I'd hear her cry out, "Love her. I am blessing you with the opportunity to serve one of my children. I am inviting you to walk in greatness." God's grace gave me a joyful attitude that night to get up with every cry and help her to and from bed, and He imparted a lesson I won't soon forget. It is a privilege from heaven to love anyone God puts around you in tangible ways.

It's a lesson that still challenges me today. How am I doing loving those around me, Lord? How am I doing serving them? I confess, most days I think this kind of greatness still alludes me. But what I'm continuing to learn is how, as I step out and am faithful to serve as the Lord shows - I am not left empty. The love I desire to pour out, always ends up filling up my heart as well.

May our eyes be open to the opportunities for greatness that arise around us!