I don't know about you, but I want to be seen. Noticed. Celebrated.
That caused a whole lot of angst when I first came to Revive Our Hearts as an eager college graduate. As Nancy Leigh DeMoss' new personal assistant, I fully expected to travel the country with her, meeting and eating with famous people, and eventually following in her footsteps. (I mean, why help adjust someone else's mic when you could wear it yourself?)
My expectations, however, were dead wrong. Instead of traveling with Nancy, I usually stayed put at the office, filling my minutes and hours by buying her groceries, wrapping her gifts (she's an incredibly generous woman!), and taking her suits to the drycleaners. I hated every minute of it.
That's because I was proud, and proud people resist Jesus' low way:
"You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Matt. 20:25–28).
Seven years later, I was given another shot at serving with the right heart attitude. Last month, I accompanied Nancy Leigh DeMoss to Colorado for some interviews at Focus on the Family.
Our first stop was Enterprise Rent-A-Car, where Nancy and I received more male attention than we have in a long time (okay, possibly ever!). These guys practically stumbled all over themselves wanting us to pick them to serve us. With their exuberant greeting, I asked the Lord to make me as eager to serve Nancy (and others) as these Enterprise guys were to serve us.
And He did. I didn't get to meet and eat with President Jim Daly or VP John Fuller, but I had a great time carrying bags, printing off notes, driving the rental car, and more. And it's not like I was the only one serving. Nancy took the time to really ask how I was on the leg from South Bend to Detroit and to pray for me. She listened and loved and gave to others all week long, even when no one would have expected it of her.
So how about you? Are you striving to be seen or to serve? If the former, what holds you back from serving?
