Service Defined

Today is my daughter Whitney’s 30th birthday. My baby girl (who is now a wife and mama of two) is a behavior analyst, Autism being her specialty. She withstands head butts, punches and sheer joy when a behavior is learned by one of her clients. Despite the naysayers in the system or even the parents themselves, Whitney has a job to do, and she is focused. Her mission is clear, to make the lives of the families she serves better . . . to give them hope. Her faith in Jesus Christ emanates in every smile, every hug, and every tear. This is service defined! I am so blessed to call her my daughter. Happy 30th birthday my sweet Whitty Bit!

In todays Gospel (John 7: 40-53), everyone seems to be questioning who Jesus is and the validity of His mission:

Some in the crowd who heard these words of Jesus said, “This is truly the Prophet.” Others said, “This is the Christ.” But others said, “The Christ will not come from Galilee, will he? Does not Scripture say that the Christ will be of David’s family and come from Bethlehem, the village where David lived?” So a division occurred in the crowd because of him. Some of them even wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.

So the guards went to the chief priests and Pharisees, who asked them, “Why did you not bring him?” The guards answered, “Never before has anyone spoken like this man.” So the Pharisees answered them, “Have you also been deceived? Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him? But this crowd, which does not know the law, is accursed.” Nicodemus, one of their members who had come to him earlier, said to them, “Does our law condemn a man before it first hears him and finds out what he is doing?” They answered and said to him, “You are not from Galilee also, are you? Look and see that no prophet arises from Galilee.” Then each went to his own house.

In Anne a lay apostle’s book Whispers From the Cross, Jesus defines service to Him:

“So much is clear to you, dear apostle. You know that I am calling you. You know that I urge you to more complete abandonment. I ask for trust that is a decision made by you and lived by you. Decide that you will abandon yourself to My work in each day. Decide that you will trust Me to provide you with all that you need. Ask Me what I need from you and do that instead of doing what you would like to do. Sit in silence with Me so that I can calm you and encourage you. Dear apostle, I want you to be focused on Me and on My presence in your work. I want you to look on yesterday as practice and today as the real test. I know that you feel challenged in trust but you are well able to be at peace with Me. You have trusted Me successfully in the past and that is how we know that you can serve in trust today. Only in complete trust will you be able to rise to the challenges that are in your future. If I did not need this from you, I would not ask it of you. I have so much to teach you about holiness and you will learn quickly if you proceed as I am asking. I send abundant graces to you in your work. See that I am sincere in My promise to be with you in everything.” 

Lay apostles, are you clear in what Jesus is asking of you? Are you focused on His Will or your own? Are you providing hope to those in darkness? Questions we must all ask ourselves. Service in love to others is the conduit for Jesus to work His miracles. If we aren’t those conduits, who will be? 

Thank you, Lord, for blessing me with a daughter whose service to You is evident in her family and work. 

God bless,

Bonnie