Here is my lesson from last week. It's funny how God works. I finished this lesson last Tuesday night at work. The lesson is on having a servant's heart and always being on the look out for ways to serve those around you. So this was on my mind that night driving home. I left the office and just down the street at the stop light, what do you suppose is there...a woman with her cardboard sign saying, "homeless. please help." As many times as I have driven through this intersection, there has never been anyone standing on the corner and I haven't seen anyone since. Am I that much in need of gaining a servant's heart that God has to be that obvious? I normally don't help people like this. I know that's awful to say but it was getting dark and I was by myself. Many times my safety comes first. But as I sat at there waiting on the light to turn green, I couldn't help but know that God had to have put her on that corner for a reason. The other weird thing is that I actually had some cash in my wallet. I never carry cash. I spend it too fast. So I pulled out the money I had, which was all of about $6, and looked up to see where she was and she had disappeared. I realized she had walked down to the cars behind me and I just couldn't see her. It was too late. I let this opportunity just slip right past me. How awful I felt. So the light turned green and I went about my way begging God to forgive me of not helping her and to forgive me of my selfish heart. So after this whole event, as I drove on home, I was thinking about to what extent you should help someone. Should you risk your safety, your life, etc? Jesus would. He did...
Just a thought...
Roles, Responsibilities and Relationships
Winter Quarter ’06 -‘07
Teen Girls Class – Wednesday nights
Week Eleven – “Looking out for…#2.”
Song
Ground rules
1. Respect others and their points of view.
2. There are no “dumb” questions. (must be relevant)
3. Only one person speaks at a time.
4. No "Put Downs".
5. Open up and have fun!
6. Always bring your Bible.
Valentine’s Day. It’s that day that’s filled with candy and flowers and hearts, etc. It’s a day that you are supposed to tell the one you love how much you love them, right? So in the spirit of that thought, tonight’s lesson is on servanthood. Turning your focus on to others instead of yourself.
Listen as I read this prayer:
Dear God,
When I became a Christian, I thought I wouldn’t be selfish anymore. I still find myself wanting to spend all of my time and all of my money on ME! I always want to be first, and when I don’t get to be, I get angry. I want you in my life, but maybe I’ve been wanting just enough of you to take away the guilt I have about being so self-centered. Help me learn to serve and to give to others. Show me how to be a servant, Lord. I’ve heard it’s even fun when you really get into it!
-Susie
Unfortunately, we live in a selfish world. Advertising is designed to make us look at ourselves and make ourselves happy. We are told we have to look out for Number 1, which, of course, is ME! I’ve seen t-shirts that say, “It’s all about me.” It’s always what I want, or what I need or when’s it my turn?
But, you’re probably thinking, “I don’t want to be someone’s servant.” The word servant doesn’t bring a very pleasant thought to mind to most people. We normally think of lowly people who have to follow orders, are dumb, and don’t have any money or clothes. So when God tells us that we are to become servants, we don’t get real fired up.
Matthew 20:25-28 – Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Why do you think Jesus left heaven to come here and serve people whom He knew would kill him? These verses actually contain a word that’s even worse in our minds than servant – slave. Why would Jesus want His people to be slaves?
Mark 9:33-35 - They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, "What were you arguing about on the road?" But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all."
We must revise our thinking. Society has engrained in our minds, “It’s all about me.” The first step is start putting other people first and yourself last. I had my eyes opened to this concept about 6 years ago. I had slowly, through the years while I was at Auburn, stopped going to the Christian Student Center on campus. I was very active my freshman year and loved it but as school got harder, I slowly quit going and chose to use that time to work on my projects. I was so upset that no one seemed to care that I was there or not. Even at church…and I had made some close friends. It gave me a reason to stop going in my mind. I just got it in my head that no one else cared so why should I? After graduation, I went back as a counselor to the Christian youth camp that I grew up at. I loved that place. Still do. Something just wasn’t right while I was there though. I hadn’t been to church in a while and here I am, a counselor for these kids, suppose to be this great example. I ended up working on my spirit that week instead of nurturing others’ spirits. I was talking with one of my friend’s mom one night before devo. She had always been someone I looked up to and admired. I was telling her how my heart was broken that no one cared if I was at church or not. Nobody had made an effort to find out what happened to me. She pretty much just looked at me and said, “Honey, it’s not about you. You don’t go to church for you. You go to encourage others and to worship God.” She asked me if I had called anyone to check up on them when they quit attending. I just dropped my head and said, “No.” She said, “Then why would you expect someone to do the same for you?”
It took a couple of years for that to really sink in. It didn’t truly hit home until a started getting involved here at Piedmont Road. The more I helped others, the more I was helped. The more I loved, the more love I received. As you serve, your heart is served in an incredible way. I get so much joy out of helping others. It just gives me that warm fuzzy feeling inside to see God work through me to help others. It’s not about others seeing me do it. It’s about that feeling I get, knowing I have truly helped someone and followed what God has commanded me to do.
So who are we to serve? God wants up to keep our eyes open for people who need us. That means we should try to notice when people look like they are having a rough day, when work needs to be done around the house, when the older people in you neighborhood need help with yardwork, when you see someone fall and get hurt, or when anyone else has a need that we are able to help with. Think of several people whom you might be able to serve this week in some special way. Sometimes serving is as simple as listening to someone with a problem. But in other situations, you might get into something that takes all of your free time. Praying for someone’s needs is a good way to serve.
Putting yourself last helps you put everything in perspective. You will probably notice a difference in the way people respond to you. They will enjoy being around you because you treat them so well.
So where do we start? One place to start is at home. Try to surprise your parents by secretly doing some housework that you normally don’t do. Look for ways to do things for your family without them knowing it was you. It can really be fun to see them trying to figure out who did it. Then, move on to your friends. From there, the world is your limit.
Make a list of ways that you could serve the people around you in your daily life.
Now, go back and write down a name beside each way to serve. This is your project for the week. Try to serve the people on your list without their knowing who is doing it. Next week come back and see how many of them you were able to keep it from.
I Corinthians 15:58 – “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”
So here is more of an incentive to serve others. Even if the people you do things for don’t notice, God is keeping tabs, and He will reward you.
Prayer Bracelet:
Color: Pink
Subject: 1 Corinthians 16:14 – “Do everything in love.” Pray that you will develop a servant’s heart and that you serve in love and not out of self-gratification or for attention.
Warm Fuzzy assignment:
Write an encouraging note to someone you haven’t written to in this class. Encouragement and prayer are ways to serve anyone.
Prayer
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