Radical Service

What does radical service look like? I suppose if you went from person to person..the answer would vary.  To someone who loves nature..it may look like living a completely green lifestyle...drastically following reuse, renew and recycle rules. To someone who loves animals, it might look like running a rescue mission for animals...to the point where you might have 14 dogs on your property..spending your time, energy and resources to get them into adoptive homes. To someone else, it might look like political involvement, where much time and energy is spent trying to push forward your political ideals. To another it may look like helping people in need, in various forms, like serving in adult literacy programs, the Peace Corp, United Way or Easter Seals.  Whatever it is, if you serve with all your energy, time and resources...that's radical right? What does radical service look like for someone who loves Jesus Christ?  All these good works in our community are important for us to participate in. But what makes it different for someone who professes Christ as their Lord and Master?
     After reading "Radical", I accepted the charge to "serve in another context" than you are used to. It could be a mission trip or some other form of Christian service. The  point was to get  uncomfortable. To expose yourself to something completely outside of your comfort zone( that looks way different for each of us). For me, serving in a food pantry was not a huge stretch. As a Home Health RN, I have served people in their homes regardless of their address, tax bracket or lack of actual flooring! But what was completely uncomfortable for me was bringing my boys with me to serve.  I had to really trust that the Lord would bless us with protection while we served along side some folks who had been in trouble with the law.  I had to trust that the boys  would be ok stocking shelves in the back while I was helping customers shop in the front.  I had to trust that if I let my kids do this,  the Lord would somehow use it to train them for a life of humble service instead of creating some sort of bias against the often unkind and ungrateful people we frequently encountered.  More importantly, I would have to trust that the Lord would break my heart for hurting people and love them the way He loves me...and that I would be able to translate that into an example my kids would want to follow.

     What I learned...God can be trusted with the children He has chosen to give me!....Never judge a book by it's cover...Always take time to touch someone and pray with them...Never be afraid to speak truth in love to those who need it...You can never smile too much...When someone wants to know if you have any "good" bread, they are looking for basic white!...And never hesitate to give a reason for the Hope you profess..you may never see that person again! 

      Radical service for Jesus is evolving for me. I wish I could say that I have daily denied myself, picked up my "method of execution" and followed Him faithfully and joyfully. Sometimes it looks like that.  And other times it looks like my scared rescue dog hiding in the corner. Be patient with me...He's not finished with me yet. "being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."