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Serving our families shows the heart of God to our children, spouse and extended family. This New Year I want to put aside my selfish ambitions and truly serve the Almighty God by having an attitude of service. My goal is to serve in such a way that people will see Christ in me. What if people asked, “What is different about you or how can I experience that joy and peace?” Serving brings out joy and peace when we model how to give of our lives to one another. Christ is our perfect model of service. How can we take on the attitude of Christ when we serve? I believe it is a mindset that when we serve our family and others, we do this getting nothing in return. As a parent, I try to model to my children that we can serve our siblings and each other out of the kindness of our heart and not expect a “thank you” or reward. Truly if we are serving with a heart of gratitude and not with a “what is in it for me” attitude, we are serving for God and not man. “Whatever you do, work it with all your heart as working the Lord and not for me. It is the Lord you are serving” Colossians 3:23-24.
Teaching my kids that our reward in serving is not from this world but from eternity is hard at times. For me it is hard as I work in the home taking care of my kids and husband, I can feel taken for granted and not appreciated. In those moments I can get a bad attitude and start to think, “why I am doing all these things for my family and do they even appreciate it?” As my bad attitude creeps in I realize whom am I doing this for. Am I serving my family to get recognition, or am I serving my family because they are the sons and daughters of the most High and out of love for them I WANT to serve them?
Having the attitude of wanting to serve them, and knowing that it is a privilege to be their mother and wife, gives me a new perspective.
This year I want to desire that perspective of having a joy filled attitude to serve in a way that they don’t see me but Christ! I want to model that kind of servant’s heart to my children and husband so I can be a reflection of Christ to them. Servant hood is one way we can show Christ’s love and humility through serving like a slave. Let’s become leaders in this area for 2014 and show our families God’s heart by serving.
“Anyone wanting to be a leader among you must be your servant. And if you want to be right at the top, you must serve like a slave. Your attitude must be like my own, for I, the Messiah did not come to be served, but to serve” (LB). Matthew 20:26-28.
