Joyful homes aren‘t perfect, but they SERVE.
Have you ever found moldy leftovers in the back of the fridge? Someone went through the trouble of packing up that food, but since it didn’t get used, it went to waste. Something similar happens in our families. If we close in on ourselves and hide in the back, our joy goes to waste. But if we share our gifts and talents with others, our joy increases exponentially!
Serving others doesn’t have to be expensive or time consuming to be an asset to your family life. Simply taking time to consider the needs of those around you and taking small steps to meet them is a great witness to your children. Inviting a new family to brunch, checking in on an elderly neighbor or bringing a meal to a friend with a new baby– these kinds of things help us all to build a culture of watching out for others. This other-centered disposition is the hallmark of happy people.
Now that I, your LORD and teacher have washed your feet, you should wash one another’s feet. (John 13:14)
As Christians, service to others is not something we do to feel good about ourselves or even to make a difference in the world. Serving others does make us feel good, and it certainly impacts others, but this is not the point. When we serve, it’s an opportunity for us to return to others a little bit of what we’ve received from God.
Serving others, when done with humility and reverence toward the one being served, is a greater gift to us than to the recipient!