A Heart of Service
By Alyssa Ruzicka
I have been realizing more and more through my own personal experiences and stages; that service work is really important. It helps teenagers (in particular) to get the focus off of themselves. I think we, as teens, can tend to get really self absorbed really fast. Naturally, we are becoming independent. We are often thinking about things like being with our friends, going to our places, and doing our thing, etc. All those things are fun and can be great, but those things can turn into something else really fast if not kept in check--Self-Gratification. We can become absorbed in thinking about ourselves and what we want too much. When we think this way, we are hardly ever satisfied with things the way they are. We are discontented. Instead, it would help us to think about others and take the focus off of ourselves. One of those ways is service.
One of my good friends has decided to go serve as a missionary for one year, anywhere in the United States, starting in July. She has agreed to go wherever the program sends her, stay with a host family she does not know, and really surrender her plans to the Lord for a year. At first, I was so sad that I was going to be losing such a special friend for a whole year. Then I realized that this was a great opportunity for her and that I am blessed to have a friend that has such a servant's heart. She is yielding herself to God's will, not only for a long time away, but at the time when she could be focusing on her education, her friends, and what she wants to do for herself. To me, this is service-to the max. I am glad to have a friend who I can learn from in this way.
Does that mean we should all do something like that? No. It just means we should each seek God to find out what we should be doing to serve Him and others. The way for me, and anyone else, who can relate, to improve is to pray and ask the Lord how to change. Take the time to ask Him, your parents, or even your friends if they have any ideas or projects for you. They can be even a small thing like visiting a friend, or helping a neighbor. Even if you think you are busy, doing something nice for someone really helps to get the focus off of yourself and onto God's priorities. It is all about the condition of your heart, not the work you are doing. Some good questions to ask yourself are:
WHAT ARE SOME WAYS THAT I SERVE? DO I REALLY LIVE FOR THE LORD? HAVE I TAKEN UP MY CROSS AND FOLLOWED JESUS? HAVE I TRULY YIELDED MY LIFE TO THE LORD? OR IS THE FOCUS STILL ONLY ON ME?
Matthew 16:24, 25~ Then Jesus told his disciples, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it."