LOL - Living Our Legacy - Part 4

This is Part 4 of LOL - Living Our Legacy

To see previous posts, click Part 1, Part 2, or Part 3.

Now let's open another housewarming gift. It's the gift of SERVICE.

Service to others is showing them that we love them. Living a legacy of service is doing something for someone else. It's being a worker for the Lord. We show others we love them by serving them, by caring for them - by helping them and tending to their needs. We show others we love them by putting them before ourselves.

Jesus' whole life was spent in service to others. Even in his death he was serving others.

So many times we make excuses to serve. When some are young, they think they'll serve when they get older....when they have more time.....when their children are grown or when they retire. Then, when some retire, they retire from everything - including serving. They may think to themselves, “I did that when I was younger. I served my time. I taught when my children were young." But then they get to a certain age and want to “retire” from service.  But do you know when we should retire from serving others?  Only when we die. Only then is our mission complete.

Filling our home with service doesn't have to be hard. It doesn't have to cost a lot of money. It can be simple acts of kindness to those in our home, to our neighbors, to those in need, to the sick, and to our church family.

Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men.

Ephesians 6:7

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.

1 Peter 4:10

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

Galatians 6:10

You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.

Galatians 5:13

Live a legacy of service.

And, speaking of service.....

In honor of Veteran's Day, I want to mention my Grandpa Gene.  He served his country in the Navy and was on the USS Franklin which was bombed on March 19, 1945.  Many people lost their lives that day in service to the United States of America.  My grandpa's life was spared that day. 

My grandpa continued to be a servant to others, to his church family, and to his small community for many years after his years in the navy.  Several years ago my grandpa was diagnosed with cancer.  He was told he only had a few months to live.  In the last few weeks he was in a nursing home, but his servant heart continued.  He couldn't physically do things for others, but my grandpa served others by encouraging those around him - whether it was the nurses or those who visited him.  He made them laugh, responded to their requests with kindness, and was a pleasant patient though suffering with pain.  His last words to me, just a few hours before his death, were even something to make me laugh....when I really wanted to cry.

Thank you, grandpa, for your example of service.  You left a legacy for many, and I thank you for that.