In our society everyone wants to be served, but no one wants to be the servant. Being a servant is looked down upon. It is viewed as a bad thing. Really, it isn’t a bad thing. It is a good thing. It is a display of love, kindness, humility, integrity, the ability to put others first, selflessness, and a heart for others. All those things are great attributes to have.
I wish I could say that I have a servant’s heart, but I can not say that at all. Do I strive to have a servant’s heart? Yes, I do. I wake up hoping to be more like Christ. The truth is as the day goes on I become more selfish. I get irritated when my children disobey me. I am not as kind and as loving as I should be. I am not always a good example to my children on how to be more Christ like. I do not always have a heart for service.
Why does a mother need a servant’s heart? Good question. We need a servants heart to carry out motherhood. It takes a heart for service to put your families needs above your own. Sleepless nights, tired mornings, and long days because you are taking care of an infant or a sick child. You feel like you are living off of coffee because your little one is teething. You would rather be reading than doing another load of laundry. You cook, clean up another’s mess, pickup more Legos, wipe noses, mop up a spilt drink, and everything else motherhood calls on you to do. You do what you need to do and you put others before yourself out of love.
Now don’t get me wrong. I am not saying you should not take care of yourself. I believe every mother should take care of herself physically, mentally, and spiritually. I think we should try to find time everyday to take care of ourselves.
So, as I go through my days I need to try to have a heart for service. I need to put my focus on having the right attitude as I go about my day. I need to have a servant’s heart like Christ. I need to look at my everyday chores as carrying out the love of Christ and my love for my family.
“Lord give me a heart like yours. Lord give me love like yours. Lord give me your grace. Lord make me a servant.” Amen
-Pamela Henry
table for 8 