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A Life Poured Out

A Life Poured Out

By Gerry Peters


 
Christians that live a life of servanthood get the best out of life.

Years ago our family decided to become a foster home. God soon sent a teenager, Joanne, to us. This was her first foster home from a background of tragedy and pain. We stepped into Joanne's gap of a healthy home and sought to do our best to provide safety, love, and care.

It was a new situation for all of us and soon ended in what I thought was failure. A new home for her was provided within a few months. Fifteen years passed. Then I received a Facebook message from Joanne. Her words blew me away! We had not failed and our investment had paid great dividends:

“I just wanted to send you a little note to let you know that I appreciate every day you spent with me. You may not know this, but you and my foster family have played a huge part in the woman, wife, and mother I have become today… I still practice my faith and the Lord is a huge part of my life. I have you to thank you for that as well. You gave me the opportunity to accept Jesus into my heart and for that I am eternally grateful.”

Life can bring many joys along the way but it can't get much more rewarding than that.

One day Jesus arrived in Capernaum after a day's travel (Mark 9:35-41). Along the journey he listened in on the disciples as they discussed among themselves whom was the greatest. Here they are walking with the Lord of all creation and they're discussing their own superiority. Jesus asks them to step a little closer. “If you want to be first, work on being last among all and servant of all.” In other words, work hard on losing your pride. Instead of trying to be at the top, think of becoming a servant.

Jesus then sets a nearby child on his lap. He continues teaching the disciples about servanthood and then says, “I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward” (Mark 9:41 NIV).

I often think about that cup of water. You have to admit that a cup of water is not very much. And that is the point. All you need is a spirit of humility or servanthood and then act on it. It doesn't matter if it's only a little thing, just don't sit on the fence and wait for someone else to do it.

Tony is an elder of a church that has a Big Sister ministry. It matches women with children who would benefit from the mentorship. As Tony chatted with a single mom about involving her daughters in the ministry, she told him that actually her son could really use a Big Brother.

And that's how it started. Six years later, Tony still spends a few hours every Saturday with this boy and provides a valuable ministry to the entire family. In the process, a strong emotional bond has been developed. “I always feel better after my time with him. We both benefit from this relationship,” Tony surmises. “You're the only one in my son's life who doesn't judge him,” was what the mom told Tony.

Did you hear that? Being a servant to this young boy, encouraging him, having fun, and never judging him is the cup of water Tony extends to this family every week. Surprisingly, it refreshes both the person that drinks and the one who extends the cup. Only those that walk life's journey as a servant will ever experience this reward. Christians that live a life of servanthood get the best out of life.

Servanthood is one of the most powerful life principles that dads can model for their children. Too often we're teaching our kids how to win, to be number one, while all along Jesus is saying the believers' life ought to be completely different. Work hard at getting pride and arrogance out of your life and learn to be a servant to others. You're not only building a strong family, you're also giving the next generation family a clear picture of what our loving God looks like.

God will regularly send along our way someone who needs us to step in the gap of his or her life and help them make the next step a successful one. A cup of water seems like such a small investment but the dividends pay great in joy.


About the Author:  Gerry Peters


Gerry Peters