BJ, Meagann, Sierra, and Ashley


Last night, two of my favorite people came over and made us dinner! What an awesome time we had in sharing this meal. They allowed us to relax in the comfort of our own home while they worked in the kitchen to prepare us a wonderful Tilapia meal.

The salad had more color in it than I have ever seen. Of course that meant it also had some vegetables in it that were crunchy. Red, bright green, purple, yellow, dark green, orange, etc. Many of those veggies, I would never eat by themselves, but they were delicious together, and I didn't even put the salad dressing on. Okay, I picked out the cucumbers. That is one I will have to ask the Lord about one day.

When the rest of the meal was over, they brought out a wonderful pie. I don't like coconut when it is processed. This had fresh coconut on it and it was incredible! Yes, I had a second helping!

It was so good to fellowship with them. They had such servants hearts, and thoroughly seemed to enjoy cooking for us.

I often have to pause when I encounter people in ministry who don't enjoy serving. It causes me to look at their motivation as well as my own.

There is no question that Jesus came to serve. We are supposed to pattern our lives after Him. So where does the idea come from that says, I will come and participate if you meet my needs? We seem to be willing to show up for church, but don't ever ask us to actually do anything, as that would be infringing on us.

If anyone ever deserved to be served it was Jesus. But He outserved the lot of us. When I look at these two young ladies from last night, and know their hearts and see what they are involved in...how they serve, it blesses me. It blesses me because I realize, that not everyone comes before the Lord with the spirit of entitlement.

So many within our Christian circles today, expect things to be done for them, and are void of any expectation to actually invest.

We believe it is the preachers job to evangelize. Ours is to show up and sit in the pew and think about lunch. We believe the pastor or deacons should visit us regularly, but we won't do anything to provide for or bless them.

We expect the preacher to know when we are ill and in the hospital, and have much to complain about if he doesn't show, when we haven't ever contacted him.

We believe that worship should be to our liking, and ignore the fact that it is not about us, but about giving of ourselves to Him...sacrificially!

We are annoyed when the offering plate is passed, after all, we gave at the office.

Many of our expectations are about our own comfort and desires, and do not reflect in any way, the attitude of Christ.

But because its always been done this way, it should be okay to do that way now! Many of the things we cling to, we cling to because of tradition, not because they are scriptural.

We like to point at the children and talk about how easy they have it, and how hard it was for us. We like to elaborate on their shortcomings, and express frustration over their materialistic natures.

The majority of these things are learned behaviors. Ones we embrace over time. Sometimes without even realizing it. Many of our offspring are the way they are because of the way we have trained them.

Jesus came to serve.

We are supposed to be like Jesus.

It's not too late to become more like Jesus, and less like us.


brent