Serve in the Small Ways
As a disciple of Jesus and a modern monastic, I should be known for my acts of love and charity in the name of Christ.
Is it possible to follow Jesus as a disciple but not serve people in His name? Serving people is such an integral part of what it means to be a follower of Christ. After all, the Lord Jesus, Himself, stated that He "came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Matt. 20:28 ESV). Serving was at the very heart of Jesus' ministry. Shouldn't it be a major part of who we are and what we do as Christians too? Christians throughout the centuries were known for their acts of love and charity, especially to the poor and the sick. A person could hardly be viewed as someone who imitates Christ if he or she neglects to serve people in His name.
I've discovered that one of the reasons I get bogged down with serving others is because I have a tendency to think that I need to serve in "big" ways for it to matter. And if something doesn't seem big or important enough, I might not do it. And so, I need to think differently about serving. Although there may be opportunities to serve in what may seem like big and important ways, there are countless more opportunities to serve in small ways. In fact, many followers of Christ in the past had chosen to serve others in small and simple ways. Teresa of Calcutta, a Catholic nun who served the poorest of the poor, famously said, "Not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love."
As a disciple of Jesus and a modern monastic, I should be known for my acts of love and charity in the name of Christ. This is not so that people can honor me. It's so that people can be drawn to a loving Savior through the loving service of a person who follows Him. In my quest to serve God better, I need to start by thinking small rather than big. I need to learn to serve in the small ways of love.
One of the best ways to practice serving in a small way is to do it at home. May my own family see me serving them as much as I hope to serve others. May there be no discrepancy between what happens in the home and what happens outside. Therefore, I try to practice serving in the small way with my wife and son. The other day, our sink was full of dishes that needed to be cleaned. As my wife was headed out the door for an evening stroll, she mentioned that she would wash the dishes when she returned (knowing that I had already done other chores that day). I decided to practice serving in a small way by doing the dishes for her instead. I have to constantly remember that I don't need to always be serving in big ways. Small ways will do just fine. And besides, there are plenty more opportunities to serve in small ways than in big ones. May we serve people so that they may ultimately be drawn to the love of Christ through our actions.
Barnabas the Monastic
Servant of Christ. Husband. Dad. Modern Monastic. I have a wild ambition in life: get as close to the Lord Jesus Christ as I can while on earth. I explore and integrate ancient Christian monk wisdom in modern everyday life. Lives in Canada.
