Serving Stinks.....

Johanna and I have been emptying throw up bowls and bed pans for the last three days. Surprise, surprise, they stink!

Yet, there is one specific reason why we haven't minded dumping those bowl's and pans, know what it is? That's right, love! Johanna loves her Mom and I love my wife soooooo very much that for both of us to perform these nasty task's is actually a privilege. This mother of four and wife of mine is AWESOME. She has served us endlessly, day in and day out for years and years. She has modeled servanthood to us. We know she loves us so much as well because of how she has humbly, and faithfully served our needs for almost 30 years.

This made me think, which is always dangerous. I may not be the sharpest tool in the toolbox but even I could figure this life lesson out. When you love someone a lot, acts of service will surely follow. And no act of service is too much or too STINKY to perform for the ONE you LOVE!

And so that got me thinking some more...double trouble! Jesus came to serve not to be served. He modeled perfectly what humble service should look like out of his immeasurable love for His Father. If we love Jesus then our life should be all about serving our Heavenly Father's purposes and the needs of others! The more we love Him the more we will SERVE! When we humbly serve, even if what we do stinks -literally-, those acts are actually SWEET aroma unto Jesus and others.

Extra word to the wise, if your full of your self you will not be able to love others fully, or much at all for that matter!

"For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another." Galatians 5:13

This verse expounded on actually means that we have freedom from the Mosaic laws and OPPORTUniTY FOR THE FLESH with our freedom to follow our natural sinful selfish desires. We are then much advised to resist the temptation to serve our selfish ambitions (let's not be slaves to our fleshly desires and the worlds desires), but to use our freedom to serve others with radical love! Therefore, "love your neighbor as yourself."

brian

ps CHRIS IS GOING HOME THIS AFTERNOON!