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“You know God put you on Earth to serve mankind and you serve God best by serving others well”
— Earl Nightingale
After living the life of a convent teacher, a simple woman heeded what she felt was a call within a call. She had already dedicated her life to God but the moment she stepped foot in Calcutta, she felt moved to serve the poorest of the poor and the sickest of the sick. She arrived with no more than a plan to serve the unloved, unwanted, and those who were uncared for. Over the course of the next forty nine years, she ministered to more than she would ever know because her influence spread far beyond the walls of Calcutta. Mother Theresa received numerous awards and praise, including the Nobel Peace Prize for her work but she readily reminded others the work was not hers, but that of God’s.
As Christians, we know one of the primary ways we can show God’s love to others is to demonstrate that love through service. He calls us to treat others as He would treat them. In fact, our ultimate example, Jesus, lived a life of service to others. But, serving can be a difficult concept for many. It is something we know we should do, but we do not always know how to go about accomplishing it. Do we give to a charity? Do we share with our neighbors? Are we supposed to give everything up and live a life like Mother Theresa? Unfortunately, God does not give us a complete blueprint on serving; he simply offers suggestions. What He does require is that no matter how we choose to serve, we do so with all of our hearts.
Each of us serves is called to serve in our own way. The beauty of God’s creation is that we are unique and bring different talents and gifts to each situation. Some may serve through teaching; others through building projects, still others through full time ministry. No matter the direction we choose, the important thing is to serve and to do so with all we have.
