Serving can be enjoyable!

Theodore Van Doren IV popped open his newspaper and scanned the stock market pages.

To his left and one place down the long dining table, his oldest daughter stood silently as Reginald, the families’ third generation butler pulled out her chair. Seated, she folded her cloth napkin perfectly on her lap without even looking. “Good morning Father.”

Theodore turned the page. “Good morning.”

A second and third daughter took their places across from the first.

“Good morning Father.”

“Good morning Father.”

From behind the paper came, “Good morning.”

The routine continued every day for years until the daughters were out of the house.

What words or phrases come to mind when you visualize breakfast at this house?

I thought of strict, impersonal, not fun, dull, depressing even. Did any of these words come to your mind?

Now, I want you to think about your service to God and to others. What words come to mind?

I hope not the same ones as the breakfast. God knows you intimately. He knows your thoughts, dreams, likes, dislikes, fears, and anything else you can think of. He made you, so of course He knows exactly how to gift you so you enjoy your service.

6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. (Romans 12:6-8, New International Version)

I want my service to be enjoyable. I want your service to be enjoyable. God wants our service to be enjoyable. The Bible tells us so.

Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! (Psalm 100:2, English Standard Version)

If we are joyful in our service to others, it doesn’t mean we’ll always be emotionally happy. In fact, I’ll bet you feel many emotions in your service to others.

Sometimes we become sad when we are heartbroken over the situations of those we serve.

We may become tired in our service to others. While serving can be uplifting and a blessing to the one serving and the recipient, often it’s work. Serving takes, time, energy, and commitment.

You may even become irritated when you aren’t seeing the results you expect.

See Why Is He Smiling? for more about the concept of joy. If God is in control of our serving, we can be confident in its results, even if we don’t see them for ourselves. After that, it’s simply praising Him for what He is doing through us.

This week’s photo was not taken by me. My youngest daughter, Beth (we’ll call her today’s guest photographer), took that photo without me knowing it years ago. It may not be obvious, but she made the photo by shooting a drawer knob. Her message, along with the creativity and fun behind it, made me think the opposite of the fictional breakfast account starting this post.

That’s my hope for you today. That you will find joy in your gift for this time in your life. Trust God to be in control of showing you your gift and giving you the strength to serve. Be creative! Have fun! Leave the results up to him.

Let me know what you think. And, if you want prayer, you can let me know that, too.