IT’S HARD TO LOOK IMPORTANT

WITH A TOWEL IN YOUR HAND

  Mike was fresh out of the Green Berets when he and his wife were converted and he decided he wanted to preach.  He had a lot of changing to do.  He was a classmate of mine.  We became good friends.

  Mike decided he wanted to be a missionary.  We talked about why.  He said, “Because I don’t want to be a State-side preacher who has to wipe snotty noses every day.  That’s not my job.”

  Several years passed.  Mike returned from his successful work in the mission field and came to see me.  As we sat talking, he said, “Do you remember what I told you before I left?”  (He reminded me.)  He continued, “One of the reasons I wanted to see you was to tell you I was wrong.  Wiping snotty noses IS my job.”

  I probably wouldn’t have said it quite that way, maybe you wouldn’t have either.  But it is for serving others that we were called.

  Not many people will voluntarily serve.  Some of us will...if it’s my turn!  We keep score and if everyone else takes their turn, we’ll take ours.  But we’re not going to be the only one serving.

  You usually have to stand in line to be served; but not to do the serving.  It’s hard to look important with a towel in your hand.

  The heartbeat of kingdom life is serving others. It’s a strange kingdom.  Everyone is a servant. The function of the kingdom leaders is “to train the saints to serve.”  How do they do that?  By serving….even more to the heart-by learning to find joy in serving.

  That has to be one of the most supremely liberating realities in life….right up there with “loving your enemies.”  Can you imagine how truly free you would be if you learned to love serving others?  …….without keeping score?!

  --Ken Stegall