Welcome back! It has been awhile since I have written…because life has been busy! This is what I have been up to these past couple of months: I finished up my year at the Friendship Center, watched my brother graduate high school, stood up with one of my best friends as she got married, started a new job, went on vacation, deal with some minor medical issues, went on another vacation, and, as of last week, moved to a new state and started seminary! Life has been good and fun…and now I am glad that I am back to writing!
As mentioned above, I started a new job for the summer-I got the chance to work as a nanny!The opportunity to do this came directly from the Lord, and it has been a huge blessing in my life! There are seven kids in this family, and it has been a privilege to get to know each one individually. They are all beautiful, talented, and unique, and it is fun to see how each one plays a specific role in their family. They may be young, but their wisdom and sweet spirits challenge me daily to think deeper about God and leave me amazed by how good He is.
One day this past summer I found myself learning a valuable lesson from an unlikely source: a three-year-old. I had just come back from a run, and sat down at the kitchen counter to cool off and catch my breath. I got a glass of water and started talking with some of the kids. After I finished my water, I set my glass down, and the three year old came over and took my cup. “Oh, that’s my cup buddy” I said, wondering why he was taking my drink. “I know.” He said, walking over to the refrigerator. “I’m filling it up for you”. He reached the fridge and asked me, “do you want crunchy (crushed) iced?”
This was a moment that could have been lost in the craziness of the day. I could have passed over this sweet moment and not acknowledged that he was choosing to serve. But by the grace of God, I paused, pondered, and experienced God through the actions of this precious kid.
This little boy did not have to serve me. I didn’t ask him to get my more water. I didn’t even mention that I had finished my cup. He saw that I had a need, and he met it. He didn’t ask me, he didn’t wait, and he didn’t expect someone else to take care of it. He saw I was thirsty, so he gave me a drink. Never mind the fact that his water bottle was also empty and sitting on the counter. He was focused on me and what I needed, not on what he needed.
I was so struck by this moment for a couple of reasons. One, because it was a beautiful act of service. Though the action itself was small, the heart behind it was huge. Watching someone so young graciously choose to put others before himself was a beautiful picture, and for a second, I saw Jesus clearly. Kids are so often seen as selfish and rude; and yet here was a toddler, embracing the opportunity to serve someone else. I was amazed by the way that I experienced God through this simple act of service.
The second reason this impacted me so much was because it was convicting. Serving other people is something I often desire to do, but have a hard time actually doing. I struggle with selfishness. I want to stop working when things get difficult. I want to make sure my needs are met before I start serving other people’s needs. But that isn’t who Jesus is. And that isn’t who I want to be either.
The night that Jesus was arrested, just hours before his trial and crucifixion, He and His disciples gathered together to eat. Before they sat down to their food, Jesus washed their feet. He knelt in front of these dirty, sweaty men who had been walking all day and gently rinsed the scum from their feet.
Jesus must have been tired. He had been walking all day too. He was probably hungry, not to mention emotionally stressed and exhausted. He was preparing for the worst day in history, knowing that in only hours He would be beaten, bruised, spit on, smacked, taunted, and blatantly denied by the very friends He was serving. He did not have to choose to serve His disciples. He had enough on His mind. And yet….He did. He chose to meet their need, even though He knew they would fall asleep and fail to be there when He needed them most. He served them even though they would run and leave Him to face His trial alone. Even though they would outright say they didn’t know Him, Jesus washed their feet. Jesus, King of kings, Lord of lords, God in flesh, knelt before these men and washed their feet. He served them, and in doing so, set an example that as His people, we must strive to follow.
This child chose to serve me that day in the kitchen. He saw a need and decided to meet it. No hesitations, no thoughts about how thirsty he was and how much he wanted to fill his water bottle. He filled my cup, and blessed me in a deep way that led me to experience Jesus. And I am grateful for that.
I want to be like this little boy…and more importantly, I want to be like Jesus. I want to be so focused on serving others that I see a need and I decided to meet it. No hesitations- Just serving others, because Jesus loves them. And because of Him, I can truly love them too.
I am not great at this. It is difficult for me to do. But when I struggle at truly putting others before myself, I hope God helps me remember that summer day. Who knows what kind of blessing can come through a small act of kindness and service.
I am thankful that God uses unexpected parts of life to teach me more about Himself….especially when those lessons come in the form of a sweet three-year old.
selahulmer 