Advent 22 - Serving Others
By Nigel Adams
I genuinely think that God has wired us up to be most blessed, most fulfilled, most at peace when we are blessing others. It’s what many people enjoy most about Christmas. Although it’s not about the warm, fuzzy feeling when someone is very grateful – although who doesn’t enjoy that! It’s much more than the buzz we might get when we’re bustling around, making ourselves busy for someone else’s sake. There’s no doubt that doing something that makes a positive difference for others makes us feel good in every way. I think, maybe, it’s deeper than that.
We are made in the image of God. God who made us in order to love us and truly bless us and give us abundant life. That’s who God is. So, if we are made in his image then when we love, serve and bless others, we are being our true selves. This isn’t just about what we should or shouldn’t do; it’s who we are meant to be. It’s not surprising then, that when we serve others it can feel really, really good.
A gentle reminder though: the point of serving others is to bless them, not ourselves. We can get so caught up in how good this make us feel, that we might forget to check that we are serving in a way that is wanted or needed. Maybe if we take a Christmas card or a gift to a neighbour, stop a while and chat. They might need your presence more than the present. Perhaps invite them to say what would bless them most.
If each of us are blessed when we serve others, then that must also mean that we should make space and allow others to serve us in return. Say yes when someone offers to bake you a cake! (Only to make them feel good, obviously!!!) Gladly receiving generosity from one another builds friendship based on mutual blessing, not resulting in an unequal friendship where one is dependent on the other.
This is an extraordinary reflection on the kind of relationship God longs to have through each one of us, through his son Jesus. Jesus came to be with us; to give us life and blessing and he is most blessed by us when we return that to him when we bless one another.
When Jesus came to live among us, to serve us, to give his whole life for us, he started a chain reaction so that everyone who receives his love returns it to him, by loving and serving one another. It’s a chain reaction that is still growing and when Jesus returns, will fill and renew the whole world.
Communities of Hope
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