April 1, 2008

Thoughts on Service

Lately I've been thinking a lot about "service" and what that looks like in the Christian life. I grew up with two amazing examples of loving servants in my parents. They both used their individual gifts (many, many gifts!) to minister to and encourage others.
Despite these shining examples, I have always struggled with seeing need and stepping in to help. And as I've been thinking about it lately, I think I struggle because 1) I lack faith that God is the one doing the work, and 2) I lack humility. Weighty words:
"[he] made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant"
How can I think so highly of myself, knowing what Christ has done? How can I not be humbled?
I have been asking myself these questions as I've examined the way I serve (when I serve at all). When I serve, I should
"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit,
but in humility consider others better than yourselves.
Each of you should look not only to your own interests,
but also to the interests of others."
As I said, my lack of humility makes it difficult for me to even notice the needs of others, or think that I might be the one who could help! I assume that someone else will do it. When I do serve, I notice that I often DO have selfish ambition and vain conceit. I want to be recognized or rewarded, and this is so awfully wrong!
As I am learning what it means to serve, I have so many examples to learn from--not only in the Scriptures, but the many selfless servants God has placed in my life. I have been so blessed with such wonderful examples in my family and in my church, and in my circles of friends. I could never name just one "mentor" in the area of service.
As I look back, I can think of countless opportunities to serve that I have missed because I was selfish or timid or just blind to the needs of others. I pray that the Lord will open my eyes, and that the attitude of a servant will be constant in me, not just something I "turn on" when the time is right. The time is always right!

I threatened to observe the strict decree
Of my deare God with all my power and might :
But I was told by one, it could not be ;
Yet I might trust in God to be my light.

Then will I trust, said I, in him alone.
Nay, ev’n to trust in him, was also his :
We must confesse, that nothing is our own.
Then I confesse that he my succour is :

But to have nought is ours, not to confesse
That we have nought. I stood amaz’d at this,
Much troubled, till I heard a friend expresse,
That all things were more ours by being his.
What Adam had, and forfeited for all,
Christ keepeth now, who cannot fail or fall.

3 comments:

  1. if you are wanting a DSLR, I would definitely recommend the nikon. as far as point and shoot goes, when you are at that level of camera, the difference between cannon and nikon is minimal. just never get a kodak. i dont know too much about lenses other than the fact that if you get a nikon, dont get a 70-200mm lens. it sucks. go for the 18-135! and if you buy off of ebay or something, and go for one of the package deals, make sure the lenses they promise you match the brand of the camera and are not tamron or something.

    my major is technically "fine art." my emphasis, though, is photography. so i guess i am both.

    ReplyDelete
  2. You are amazing. I love you so much! And I love your blog!I jsut came to it for the first time in a few days and saw that I had missed several posts. So, I went back and caught up on every single one:)

    I think I left a few comments, so besure to go read them if you please:)

    ReplyDelete
  3. the canon rebel will serve you well, no doubt. but i have used them both (i am intensely opposed to flash as well. i am very glad you are too.) the nikon though has better features, in my opinion, put together better, and handles no flash better. i would just do some research on lenses. i have a few books on them, i can look into it for you too. dpreview.com is a good website to go to! i recommend it for comparing cameras. i still would go for the nikon d40 (not as good as the d80 and above, but still good and less expensive) though. the head of the photo school over here is hard core nikon too... dont know if any of that helps!! i hope so!

    ReplyDelete