April 14th, 2020

Choosing to Serve
 
Matthew 20:26,28
    But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
 
Jesus knew how to do it well. 
 
    Tired and hungry, yet he rose to give the Samaritan woman the eternal living water. While overburdened with multiple needs, he drew the children to Him as He rebuked the disciples for turning them away. On the cross and in excruciating pain, yet asking John to take care of His mother, assuring the dying thief that He would be with Him in paradise, and securing eternal life to all that would believe.  
 
     Jesus clearly chose to unselfishly serve and that servitude was revealed in every facet of His life. To His enemies, He gave forgiveness; to the wayward disciples, he fixed a meal; to you and I who are the heirs of salvation, he minutely gives the benefits of His mercy and grace.
 
Choose to make a difference.
 
A little boy lived by the sea shore, and every day he would go to the shore to pick up star fish and put them back in the Ocean. Then one day they had a Hurricane which washed up thousands of star fish. So the little boy went out there and started picking them up one at a time and putting them back in the Ocean. There was a man who was watching him. Finally the man said to the boy, "Why do you pick the star fish up? There are so many of them you can’t make a difference". Then the little boy picked up one star fish and looked at the man and said, "to this one I can make a difference, then he picked up another one and said to this one I can make a difference".
 
Can we be any different toward those around us, even to those that may be our enemies? Can we hold unforgiveness in our hearts? Can we remain isolated from the needs of others?        Choose to serve!   Choose to make a difference!
 
Nobody is useless that has touched the life of another.   Begin today!
 
 
Pastor  Rudy