Serving Starts at Home
So far on Wednesday nights in June we have been talking through what serving others means, what motivates us to serve, and what serving practically looks like. The home is the best place to learn and grow in this area of Christian living, so what might that look like?
First, I’ll mention the “why”, why the home first? The pattern in the Scriptures is that the home, the family unit, is the primary influence on young people when it comes to all aspects of living. God’s design is that He be first in all things, and that the home would be where children are taught and modeled the ways of Jesus. The family relationships, in turn and in general, are designed to be the closest and where living is most transparent toward one another. So this means that working out the details of serving one another, and failing in it, can occur with God’s grace always in view.
When we think of serving one another in the home, we first consider our motivation and model, Jesus Christ. We pattern our serving after him and because of him as emphasized in John 13 (1-13,14-15) or Philippians 2 (3-4, 5-11). With that in view, for a young person in the home, I have been encouraging them to think about serving at home with the following in mind.
- Be an active and unique contributor to your household - such things as chores/responsibilities apply here. Some may fit how God has uniquely created young people, others may just be the mundane chores that we all need to accomplish. This is important not only for young people to do their part in caring/maintaining what God has entrusted to the family, but this is just part of learning life skills and doing their part in the family.
- Go above and beyond - this would be beyond what is listed as assigned chores/responsibilities. This would be a specific application of Philippians 2:4, such as taking on a chore/responsibility that usually falls on a parent or another sibling. This means that it may cost time and extra energy to accomplish, or it may even cost money. Doing the dishes when it is not your turn or vacuuming when this is not your responsibility. Maybe washing a vehicle or vacuuming as well. Lightening the load of another is the phrase I have used, so you are taking something from their list.
- Do things without being asked - like the previous category, this would be taking things even a step further to take the initiative based upon a young person being more aware of the needs around them. When you combine going above and beyond with taking the initiative without being asked, that is a significant act of service toward another.
These are just three general principles to keep in view when serving in the family and to encourage and shape in young people. Students this past week were challenged to pick 1 “above and beyond” item that they could do for a family member in the coming week. Along with this, it was important to emphasize the motivation (Jesus Christ!) multiple times; not to get anything in return or not to feel good about oneself, but to do so because Christ first served us (Mark 10:45) and he did so with his life. So Jesus serving us cost him significantly, and it will cost us also to serve others. There is no better opportunity to make serving others a pattern of living than the home, so what might be some next steps to encourage and nurture a servant’s mindset in the lives of young people in their home life? In doing that, point to Jesus as the motivation, relying on the Spirit for strength and wisdom, and do it all for the praise and glory of God!
“If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.” - John 13:14-15