When I was younger, I, like most people, was pretty self-centered. I still am, like most of us, I guess I should say that up front. But as I've gotten older, I've realized more and more that some of my greatest joys come from doing things for others. This summer has really pounded that home, that it's a blast to serve others, to serve WITH others, and to just do simple things for people.
A few examples are in order to illustrate. First, on the idea of simple service with and for others, this summer we've had a number of opportunities to serve with our students. We do a community missions week with our kids during our church's VBS week. This year, between 17-22 people went each night and passed out water bottles for free with no strings attached, collected 7 boxes of canned food for a local mission, helped put together food boxes for the Salvation Army, wrote follow-up letters to people who came to our church's block party and played BINGO with retirees at a local retirement home. It was a blast each night and I enjoyed leading the students to those experiences. Today, me, one of my youth leaders, a couple of college students and a couple of senior highers, all males, gave time to help a new neighbor across from the church move in. It seemed to blow the couple away that young men from a church would do that for them. It was cool. In just over a week, we leave for Mission Arlington with 30 from our ministry. There is nothing like that experience each year, our summer student ministry mission trip, and I fully enjoy leading students in serving away from home as well as close by.
A couple of other examples. Over time, I've discovered that a few very simple things can mean a LOT to students (or people in general for that matter), things like simply showing you care or will listen or truly genuinely love them. In the past few weeks, we've had several students and parents tell us that's one of the big things that has drawn them to our youth ministry. Most people have few, if any, people they truly and fully trust, that they truly believe are there for them, and it's mind-boggling how a simple act like that can make an impact. More recently, a couple of examples have really blown me away, where simple acts of thoughtfulness have impacted people we love and are close to. In one case, some friends moved away, then moved again, and when they moved the second time, they were incredibly thankful and told us that other than one of their mom's, we were the ones by far who had both kept up with and also visited them the most during that first year away. And another family in our lives was involved in an extracurricular activity that we came to see twice, and for that family, it blew them away that we cared enough to come twice to see them in what they were doing. They even told us that we might as well be part of their family.
What is my point? I'm certainly not meaning to sound conceited or prideful in sharing these things, nor am I trying to say we are better than others at selflessness or service. I'm simply sharing how amazing it is to realize that serving, caring, loving and doing for others is truly a joyful experience, and I firmly believe it is something that moves us towards more Christlikeness and a fuller experience of life with Him.
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