It appears to me that it is impossible in any ongoing way to compartmentalize a life of service. We're either people who serve... or we're not. We're either growing into more and more abandonment to Jesus Christ and intentional giving toward others... or we're not.
Serving other people stinks sometimes. It's peeling off my ego, laying aside claim to my time and stuff, and giving what I love the most away with absolutely no promise of ever receiving anything tangible in return.
You have to be pretty mature to do that. I feel like it's the big thing in my life right now. I'm really surprised and dismayed by my own selfishness; how often I choose agenda over people. I'm determined - absolutely, unequivocally - to collapse into the grace of God over and over again until I am reshaped to serve.
An email I received the other day from Ray Longwood, one of our team leaders at The Journey, helped me with my decision:
Crazy stuff yesterday! I was on my way to a doctor's appointment in People's Plaza yesterday. I stopped for a red light at route 40 (right near the car dealership) when all of a sudden I heard yelling and banging from behind my car. I looked in my rear view mirror and saw an extremely angry man screaming and banging a night stick on the driver’s side window of the car behind me. He was screaming all sorts of profanity and demanding that the driver get out to "get what he deserves." The cars beside me attempted to blow through the light to avoid the altercation. I sat for a few seconds and my flight/fight reflexes started reacting. All of a sudden a peace came over me and something told me to calm this man down. Without thinking, I put my car in park and proceeded to walk toward the angered and emotional man with my hands outward and speaking calmly for him to relax. I walked slowly toward him, realizing that he had a "weapon". I made eye contact with him briefly amidst his screaming and banging so I knew he saw me and that I was no challenge. I then walked up to him and placed my hand on his shoulder and asked him "Is this worth going to jail over?" "It's not worth it bro." He kept screaming and I repeated the gesture. He turned to me, took a deep breath, and said "You're right man." It was like I was talking to a different person. He immediately calmed down and stepped back into his 2008 Cadillac Escalade. I looked in the car of the almost attack victims to make sure they were ok and saw two young men in their 20's, scared and shaking. They gave me a wave in thanks. I got back in my car and I began to sweat in realization of what I just did. The light finally turned green and I proceeded into the parking lot of my doctor's office. The guy that attempted to blow the light pulled right next to me and asked what I said to the angry man to calm him down. I told him and he proceeded to ask me if I was in law enforcement or something and I told him no. "I'm just a regular man like you", I told him. He was in awe of what I did. I was in awe as well. I knew it wasn't me, but the Holy Spirit within me. God placed a conviction on my heart to do something about the situation. I felt that my involvement in the situation could greatly change the outcome of the situation. Had I ignored the conviction that God placed in my heart for this situation, it could've been bad. I would have felt bad knowing that I didn't act when God asked. Spiritual conviction is always partnered with action that reflects the fruits of the spirit. You never feel an emptiness or guilt when spiritually convicted instead you feel responsibility, awareness, and a will to take action. Let's be convicted to share the love that Christ has placed within us with the world! Time to take action!
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds (Heb. 10:24 - NIV).
I'm proud of you Ray. And I'm spurred on to good deeds - to serve - by your faithfulness.
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