SERVING IN THE FAMILY
Scripture Reading--Galatians 5:13
"For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty
for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another."
It's God's plan that every home be a close home. This closeness doesn't happen by accident but by design. One way to experience relational intimacy is to practice the "one another" commands in the Bible. These are practical, measurable expressions of our concern for others.
One such command is in our text--"Serve one another." Jesus served His disciples by doing tasks that were often menial, mundane, and humbling. He washed their dirty feet ( John 13:4-5 ) because He loved them and wanted to serve them. His ministry to them met a need and is an example to us; we should serve others in small, practical ways. In John 13:14, Jesus said, "If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet."
Ultimately, we serve because we are servants of Christ, and we serve Him by serving others. This truth is especially so in the family. Loving service is that which takes initiative. We don't need to be told; we're looking for opportunities to serve those whom we love. In so doing, we are serving the Lord Jesus.
Don't just do your assigned chores. Be a servant by picking up trash in the yard, bringing in the mail or the paper, washing the car, cleaning your room, mowing the yard, starting your homework, ironing clothes, doing laundry, vacuuming, dusting, cleaning the bathroom, or washing dishes--all without being asked. That is the heart of service.
At graduation, a well-known Bible college presents graduates not only with a diploma but also with a small towel to remind them of their spiritual responsibility to "wash feet" in loving service. Serve those in your home--even in the smallest, humbling, and unspectacular of tasks.
ASSIGNMENT: What are specific ways you can voluntarily serve your family members?
--Rick Johnson--
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