The Greatest GiftSample

Time to Be a Blessing

Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

—Philippians 2:4 (ESV)

The holiday season is a perfect time to look for ways to help someone else. Even when our thoughts may be on holiday activities—baking cookies, shopping for gifts, school events for the kids—our attention can still be on others. In all of the activities surrounding this time of year, don’t miss the true focus.

Jesus came as the ultimate gift of love. He gave it all to come as our Savior and to serve others. When He talked about being a servant, He was describing someone who lives to benefit others and someone who sacrifices for another person’s joy.

Something powerful happens when you serve others—when you don’t think of yourself, but you put the needs of someone else before your own. You’ll find joy and deep satisfaction in your life. Jesus set the greatest example of a perfect servant…His whole life on earth was about serving others.

We see one example of Jesus serving others in John 13 when He washed the disciples' feet. In those days, men wore sandals, and the roads were not paved; they were plain, old dirt. By the time a day ended, the dis­ciples' feet were really dirty, and Jesus offered to wash them. He chose this very practical task to teach His disciples a great lesson about serving one another.

Serving others is not typically viewed as a high, or esteemed position, and yet Jesus said it is the highest of all. That’s because when we help others, the One we are actually serving is Christ. That is one of the purposes of being a servant—to show others the love of God that He has shown us so that they too can share in it—and then pass it on.

Serving is simply helping. It is doing things for others. Here are some examples of practical ways to serve others…

·Visit someone who is alone during the holidays or set up a video chat.

·Take someone out for lunch.

·Surprise a family you know by dropping off dinner.

·If someone asks you for a favor…go above and beyond.

·Let someone go before you in line at the grocery store.

·Volunteer to babysit for a single mom or dad so they can do something they enjoy.

·Bake Christmas cookies for your neighbor.

·Listen to a friend who needs to talk.

You can make a decision to look for ways to help others, not just during the holiday season, but each and every day. And when you do, you’re not only going to bring a smile to their faces, you’re going to get one yourself. And you will experience the true joy and satisfaction that comes through serving in a whole new way.

FROM JOYCE MEYER:

“You can make any day better when you take your focus off of self and begin looking for ways to help and serve others.”

JUMP IN…

Galatians 5:13 says, we should use the freedom Christ has given us to “serve one another in love.” What can you do to serve someone this week and show them God’s love? Look over the list of practical ways to serve others and pick one you can do—or think of your own—and then go for it!