Learning to Serve

This morning I read a passage about asking how you can serve each and every day. It really resonated with me and as I journaled, I asked God to show me how I can serve in a powerful way today. Little did I realize God was about to teach me a lesson in learning to serve.

The morning continued like any other morning and I took our dog Toby for a walk. As we turned a corner I noticed a dog in the yard ahead who appeared to not be on a leash. I slowed down but the dog saw us and came running over. It was the sweetest little Shih Tzu, full of love and energy with his tail wagging a mile a minute. I talked briefly with a homeowner who shared that this dog had been hanging around their home for the past couple of days but it was not their dog or any of the surrounding neighbors. The dog followed us home and before I knew it, I was taking care of this little dog on our back patio. I felt the stress start to build as I watched the hours pass away caring for this dog, realizing yet another day's work was interrupted, the earthquake yesterday and now a stray dog. No sooner did I finish that thought when I heard a voice whisper, "You asked how you could serve in a powerful way, here it is".

I didn't recognize then how taking care of a stray dog would equate to serving in a powerful way but later in the afternoon when we were able to reunite the dog with its owner, I realized God was showing me exactly what that meant. That reunion was so heartwarming and as I watched I heard that same voice whisper, "The littlest acts of kindness can serve in the most powerful way."

God had taught me a very powerful lesson today! I felt the pull of work but made a conscious decision to focus on that dog and ignore my work, realizing where I was truly needed most at that moment. Oddly enough, I received very few emails today and no phone calls, unheard of! It was as if I agreed to answer God's call and He cleared my calendar so I could serve where I was needed most. Such a tremendous lesson! I now understand what is meant by serving in a powerful way. It's not our own measurement of what is significant that matters, it's being open to God's call to serve and then more importantly answering that call and following God's lead. If we commit to being open to serve, He will pave the way.