A heart for service.

How can you expect God to entrust and empower you for world mission if you don't show that you can serve the local church?"

We were doing a bit of a TeenStreet wrap up last Sunday Night, it had been a great time of reflecting and celebrating and I was just finishing off the night by going through our daily declarations we'd made on camp.  We were talking about "May your Kingdom come THROUGH ME" and the idea of us following God's plan allows His name to be glorified - "Hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as in heaven." (Matt 6:9-10).

As we talked about mission and the big things people want to do for God I was dwelling on where I was, where I'd been and how I have gotten here and this quote from above came from my lips.  The culture of today is one of fame - the desperate desire to be great, to be famous to do the big things... and I wonder if our Christian culture can be a little like this too?  The idea of overseas mission, or big youth events draw people who want to serve... but should they be serving if we hardly ever see them at church during the rest of the year?  I feel people can be drawn to big things not because they are serving God but because they are meeting their own personal need for 'feeling good' (this idea that serving does make us feel good, we become passionate about it because we feel good but maybe we loose the real meaning of service)

I know for myself I've had to pull back many times, because I have pursued things in the name of service but suddenly realised I was doing them either for something to name drop or put on my resume... or just because it made me feel good to do it.

Those with real hearts for service serve everywhere, and constantly.  I was challenged by the thought and in turn challenged my youth that serving in the church isn't a 'to-do list' thing, or a 'see I'm a good person' thing; instead it is a sign we're totally sold out to God, and we'll do what He says, whether that means washing dishes after morning tea of a Sunday morning, or going to Africa to work in an orphanage.  In my experience it is the ones who are willing to serve anywhere who are used by God in great ways - because He knows their heart.