Glory GirlНамуна

Who Can You Serve or Love?

My daughter, Glory, has a people group she has felt called to minister to almost longer than she’s had a relationship with Jesus. When she was as young as four or five, she began waving at homeless people. That sounds sweet and kind and human, but her waving was so extra and precious I can barely describe it.

Let’s say there’s someone slumped over in a doorway in the middle of a big city with hundreds or even thousands of people passing them every hour. Some might drop some change in a cup for them, some might hand them a meal they’d purchased, but most would ignore them. And a handful wouldn’t even know they were there. Glory will wave until she catches their eye, stooping into their field of vision, and making sure they see her saying hi. She wants people without a home to know she sees them and loves them.

When she was seven she started enlisting our help to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to hand out to the homeless. I buy the supplies and oversee the process as the responsible adult, but for the most part she runs the show. She usually prefers that I sit in the car and watch as she hands meals to her friends. She is not scared—these are her people.

Is there a person or a group of people that already comes to mind for you when you think about who you could serve or love?

Here’s another group of people I want you to think about! Who is paying attention to you?

Don’t say nobody! Because the truth of the matter is that you see people every single day who are paying attention to you, learning from you, and being changed by you.

Your parents, your siblings, your neighbors, friends at school or in your clubs—every single day you are changing their lives with your words and your actions. As long as people can hear your voice, read your sign language, or receive your messages, they’re listening to you. You have been given the power to encourage and speak life to them!

Who is already listening to you and how could you encourage them today?

What if they’re older than you?

"And don’t let anyone put you down because you’re young. Teach believers with your life: by word, by demeanor, by love, by faith, by integrity."—1 Timothy 4:12 (MSG)

What if they already know God? What do I really have to offer them?

"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing."—1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NIV)

I could get keep going, but the simple fact is this: If you want to change the world, you’ve got a 100% chance to make an impact if you just love the people around you. It’s the ripple effect, it’s how Jesus became a household name. One person tells another person what they know to be true and they love each other and it goes on and on.

The starting line for each of us can be the people we’ve been given to serve and love AND that will help us fight the feeling that we’re left out, alone, or unloved. We’re loved by God, rescued by Him, and given purpose and passion to change the world! Let’s go show them God’s glory.