Last night, I recalled something that my aunt told me. One day she mentioned that a lady at her church was in charge of an orphanage in some distant, faraway, land.
Of course, if I can't remember the name of the country...otherwise, I wouldn't call it some distant and faraway land..
anyway, in some remote corner of the world, there is an orphange. My aunt said that what makes this orphanage special is that the children are treated like royalty. The cooks dress up in chef attire at mealtime. The volunteers who serve dinner dress in butler uniforms. They eat from fine dishes and the tables are lined with elegant linens.
Friends, this is beautiful.
I began to think about how service is at the very heart of Christianity. These children who have never known the love of a parent, who have been kicked to the curb and left behind by flesh and blood through whatever circumstance, can see the love of Christ through the faithful service of others.
God states in His word that we are to be servants. It is our duty to serve. It's our calling, our purpose.
Sometimes, we think that God wants us to be royalty, here on Earth..but, in truth, there is nothing greater or more beautiful that sacrificing self in such a way that others are lifted up and made to feel special, wonderful, and beautiful.
Many of us spend our lives trying to attain riches, but to be truly riched is to give and serve in love. There is no greater joy, nor any greater calling.
On another note, I can't help but think of all of the people who have made me feel special and loved throughout the course of my life. The moments that have stood out the most and shined the brightest for me, are the ones where kindness abounded..love flourished. The ones, not of harsh criticism, but of unconditional love. My most memorable moments are marked by humilty. When others have humbled themselves to be kind to me..along with the moments when I have humbled myself to show love..
Isn't that how we all want to be remembered?
I read a verse that spoke to me yesterday.
"You show that you are a letter sent from Christ..written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the Living God, not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of human hearts." - 2 Corinthians 3: 1-3
We are letters. Living testimonies. Our days make up stories.
What kind of story are you writing with your life? Who holds the pen? Who is the author?
Sometimes, the greatest stories are birthed from the darkest moments..they happen when that monumental light shines out of the darkness. They are when adversity is overcome.
Let God hold the pen and write your life.
Here are some verses to reflect on...
Will you take them seriously? Will you be a doer of the Word, Will you let God write the story?
"Set your eyes on things above..not on things below."
"For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." -Matthew 23:12
"Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works ( note..it doesn't say material possessions) ...and generous to those in need, always being ready to SHARE with others.
"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility, consider others as better than yourselves." Phillipians 2:3 .. How is that even possible you ask? Only through the spirit of Christ are we able to have that kind of love.
on another note.. I just got off the phone with my aunt. She said Viki YoHe is the name of the lady who runs the orphanage. It is called, New Destiny for children, and that distant, faraway land that I spoke of earlier..is Uganda. She gave me more details on the orphange..that is why this post is different than the original.. :)
Of course, if I can't remember the name of the country...otherwise, I wouldn't call it some distant and faraway land..
anyway, in some remote corner of the world, there is an orphange. My aunt said that what makes this orphanage special is that the children are treated like royalty. The cooks dress up in chef attire at mealtime. The volunteers who serve dinner dress in butler uniforms. They eat from fine dishes and the tables are lined with elegant linens.
Friends, this is beautiful.
I began to think about how service is at the very heart of Christianity. These children who have never known the love of a parent, who have been kicked to the curb and left behind by flesh and blood through whatever circumstance, can see the love of Christ through the faithful service of others.
God states in His word that we are to be servants. It is our duty to serve. It's our calling, our purpose.
Sometimes, we think that God wants us to be royalty, here on Earth..but, in truth, there is nothing greater or more beautiful that sacrificing self in such a way that others are lifted up and made to feel special, wonderful, and beautiful.
Many of us spend our lives trying to attain riches, but to be truly riched is to give and serve in love. There is no greater joy, nor any greater calling.
On another note, I can't help but think of all of the people who have made me feel special and loved throughout the course of my life. The moments that have stood out the most and shined the brightest for me, are the ones where kindness abounded..love flourished. The ones, not of harsh criticism, but of unconditional love. My most memorable moments are marked by humilty. When others have humbled themselves to be kind to me..along with the moments when I have humbled myself to show love..
Isn't that how we all want to be remembered?
I read a verse that spoke to me yesterday.
"You show that you are a letter sent from Christ..written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the Living God, not on tablets of stone, but on tablets of human hearts." - 2 Corinthians 3: 1-3
We are letters. Living testimonies. Our days make up stories.
What kind of story are you writing with your life? Who holds the pen? Who is the author?
Sometimes, the greatest stories are birthed from the darkest moments..they happen when that monumental light shines out of the darkness. They are when adversity is overcome.
Let God hold the pen and write your life.
Here are some verses to reflect on...
Will you take them seriously? Will you be a doer of the Word, Will you let God write the story?
"Set your eyes on things above..not on things below."
"For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." -Matthew 23:12
"Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works ( note..it doesn't say material possessions) ...and generous to those in need, always being ready to SHARE with others.
"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility, consider others as better than yourselves." Phillipians 2:3 .. How is that even possible you ask? Only through the spirit of Christ are we able to have that kind of love.
on another note.. I just got off the phone with my aunt. She said Viki YoHe is the name of the lady who runs the orphanage. It is called, New Destiny for children, and that distant, faraway land that I spoke of earlier..is Uganda. She gave me more details on the orphange..that is why this post is different than the original.. :)
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