Too Busy to Serve

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.

 1 Peter 4:10

“Three of the meals I delivered to the Smith’s [name changed] last week came from a generous caterer I know,” gushed a friend of mine at church.  She was bragging about the kindness of her caterer friend who is willing to help her in her ministry.

I was immediately convicted. I had seen the request for meals for the “Smith’s” but had not responded quickly. I was busy, but I knew or the Holy Spirit was reminding me, that I wasn’t that busy!

I had to ponder what was so convicting about her statement. I mean isn’t that a great use for food that would normally be thrown away? But, why should one person be responsible for delivering three meals in one week? One of those could have been, and I am sure, should have been, from us.

Many years ago, when my own children were three and four years old I was hit by a car as a pedestrian. My left foot was crushed.  The church I was in at the time brought us meals every weekday for seven weeks until I could have surgery and get back into the kitchen.

And I ignored a plea to take one meal. Actually, I didn’t ignore it. I decided to wait and see if the next week my load would be a little lighter. It was. By the time I responded the crisis was over and the “Smith’s” were set. So now I learn that the burden fell to one family for three meals. God provided and all was well, but still, I am sorry the one who organizes meals had to use a caterer’s leftovers to fill a need in my church.

Thinking about this brought to mind the verses that tell us to serve one another in love (Galatians 5:13 and 1 Peter 4:10) as well as the admonition to “always consider others more significant than ourselves” from Philippians 2:3. Apparently, in the moment I read the email asking for help I was considering my stuff more significant than their stuff. I am convicted.

When I look back on all those weeks my church served my family through providing meals, I remember who the woman was who orchestrated such a huge task and I am thankful for her kindness. Many people dropped off meals and stayed for a few minutes to encourage or comfort me. Other friends and family took care of cleaning and laundry and doing things for my kids. It was a humbling time when God poured out His love on me and my family through the service of others.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”

My lesson, and the one I hope you will hear, is that we need to comfort others and serve them, especially among the body of believers, just as God has called us to do. When we fail, when we refuse, it is convicting. At that point it is the Word of God that brings comfort, 1 John 1:9 says, If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Is there someone you and I should be serving today?