Thursday, November 29, 2012

SERVING WITH A SERVANT’S HEART


Prologue:

There was a time when I just returned home from church. Our topic was about End Time Update and how we should serve God and preach the Gospel in this short time. On my way walking, I kept thinking about what the preacher said. I kept repeating this sentence in my heart. “I want to serve you God, but I don’t know how.” Because, I thought, I couldn't sing. I couldn't preach, I couldn't play music instrument, I couldn't serve Him the way other people serve at church. I said in my heart, “Please show me the way I can serve You.”


Time goes by and I learn that serving doesn't always to be at church only. God gives us different talent and intelligence. For example, there are people with musical talent. They serve God by singing and playing music instrument, composing songs that touch hearts and change people’s lives. There are people with teaching talent. They can teach and explain well so that people may understand easily. They can answer questions in simple and good explanation. There are people who are good at public speaking. So they deliver the gospel orally. There are people who are good at writing. They tell something, share something, in written work. There are people who are good at designing and painting, and they share the good news visually. Why we need many ways to preach gospel? It's because people who receive the good news have different kind of intelligence and preference. There are people who can understand something easily when they listen and it’s explained directly to them. There people who understand more through visual explanation. There are people who absorb more when they read those words repeatedly.

Above all talents, there is one that we all have and we all can do. It’s serving by praying. It doesn’t need any special talent. It just takes the willingness to spare our time. It just needs a sincere heart to bless other people. That’s why our chance to preach the Gospel is so much! I believe that God has entrusted each of us with amazing talent. It may be different but it’s as important as others. Writing is different from singing. When you are singing, maybe you can see the direct effect. We can see who are blessed by our service. Meanwhile, when we write we don’t know who read our writing. We don’t know who are blessed. But they are all important in God’s eyes. God wants us to reach people through many ways. That’s why He gives us different talents.

Now, talking about the kind of serving that we all can do as I mentioned above, praying. It’s really important and it may change lives without we realizing it. However, we may not be able to see the direct change. We may never get the feedback since the person we pray for may not know that we pray for him or her. We may never get a thank you. But it doesn't make praying less important that other kinds of service, right? And no matter how amazing our talent is, or how wonderfully we are preaching His words, all start from our prayer and sincere heart.

I believe each of us gets the calling to serve. Know our talent and work out our strength to make the most out of it for the glory of our King. It can happen at church, at school, at your workplace, on the street, market, public places, anywhere. Spread the words that Jesus Christ died for our sin and has risen up. Tell people that God is love and what our marvelous Father has done because of His love for us. Help people in their lowest point by encouraging words and prayer. As Chesterton said, love the unlovable, pardon the unpardonable. Pray for people we meet. Pray for our families and friends who haven’t known Jesus. We all can serve. Simple things in our daily life will do, like sharing Bible verses on Facebook, Twitter, BBM, sharing videos, songs, pictures that can bless people. One more important thing, serve with a servant’s heart just like Jesus. Leave our arrogance, our pride, our own self-recognition. No matter how great our talent is, we should always serve with a servant’s heart. Happy serving!


P.S. Please note that we should be thoughtful and considerate in spreading gospel. Ask wisdom from God and pray before we do something that we may think right because without His wisdom it may turn out to be disaster. For example when someone is emotional and that person doesn't even ask your opinion, you suddenly pop up and say, “It’s your own fault because Bible said blah blah blah. You should repent to Jesus.” Well. No matter how true the verse is, you will be just a stumbling stone for that person and you can send the wrong message. Please remember that truth should be spoken at the right time and by the right person, too. Don’t be confused about “right person”. I mean, yes we all should share about the words of God. However please imagine this. How will you react when someone says, “Don’t complain blah blah blah” while that person always complain all the time. Got it? That’s what I mean by being considerate and thoughtful. ^^

Epilogue:

After that I-want-to-serve-you-God-but-I-don’t-know-how-thought, now I have found that I love to serve by writing. It doesn't mean that I just choose one and I ignore others like speaking and praying. But I focus more on what I can do now and it is writing. I think writing and speaking are related (no need to mention praying, it’s like ABSOLUTELY OF COURSE! ^^), we can see Nick Vujicic, he is a public speaker but then he writes a book, too (and it blesses me so much!). We also have a writer like Grace Suryani who then holds a talk show or preaches too. I want it too, one of my dreams is to publish a book that can bless many people, and preach in front of them. So besides knowing and learning more about what’s in my God’s heart, I need to improve my public speaking skill! Let’s do our best and God will take care of the rest! 
 
Love the way Jesus loves, serve the way Jesus serves.

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