What's it Mean to Serve?

Today our country is celebrating Veteran's Day - a day we are supposed to reflect on the great service provided by men and women in the Armed Forces, present and past.  How often do any of us actually stop and remember the purpose of this day?  Not very.  It becomes like any other holiday - a day we sleep in, relax, shop, and eat.  Unless you're a veteran, or someone like me who lives with a veteran.  As I think about Charles' service to this country, as well as that of my dad, grandpa, uncles, brother, cousin, and friends it makes me think.  What does it mean to serve?  What does service mean to me? 

Serving is not the most glamorous job in the world.  Whether you choose to serve through military service, or you choose to serve as a waitperson, housekeeper, sales associate,  babysitter, or parent you're not choosing an easy path.  There is nothing more frustrating (or rewarding) than working with people.  I enjoyed waitressing, but it was not an easy job.  You often get to see the ugly side of normally nice people, simply because they see you as insignificant and unimportant compared to themselves.  Why is this?  Why do we look down our noses at people who have chosen to take a position that makes our lives easier?  Jesus chose a life of service and people looked at him the same way.  He's asked us Christians to follow his example, so Christians should be the best customers and servers out there, right?  I wish.  I'm sad to say that my worst tippers, and often rudest customers were people I knew to be Christians.  We have somehow managed to ignore that facet of Jesus' personality and focus on the "easy" things instead.  What we need to remember is this: service of others is what Jesus is about.  His life was lived in the service of his fellow men, and he expects the very same thing of us.  He expects us to be the first ones available to help during a crisis, and the first ones there to help when a brother or sister is having problems. 

So how do I serve?  What is my role?  I am to serve in any way I can.  Personally this means I lead Bible studies, write, and raise my family to know Christ.  It means I help out when someone is in need and lend an ear when a friend needs me.  It might mean cooking a meal for a new mom or watching someone's kids when they need help.  It means doing something good for someone even when I know it won't be appreciated, and doing it even though I know they won't say thank you or recognize my service in any way.  It means serving because Jesus would, not because it will make me feel good about myself or make me look good to others.  It's not an easy attitude to have, and it's one I have a lot of work to do on, but I'm going to keep plugging away at it.  Imagine what our world would look like if we all decided to serve like Jesus and made it happen.  Our churches would overflow and our world would know what Christians are all about!