Why We Serve

It's been a week of service. On Wednesday, I was with a group out at the Food Bank packing the food backpacks. It truly is an incredible experience. We brought Riley and Wesley with us and they had a great time too. They and two other kids took the plastic off of the juice boxes and then put them into crates so they were ready to go on the line when the crates got empty. Then this Friday Hillcrest served at the banquet which was also a great time. Reflecting on these two experiences in the same week reminds me of several reasons why it is good to serve:

• It's fun- we laughed a lot in the Food Bank's wearhouse and in the banquet's kitchen. It is simply a good time to serve.
• It's memorable- the laughter has something to do with it, but when you serve with someone (or some group), you create a shared experience that connects you with them over a common project or concern.
• It changes the server- we can debate how much effect serving has on the person receiving the service, but there isn't much debate that serving changes the one doing the serving. When I serve, I am changed, and at least for a glimpse, am better living out the calling of Jesus in my life.
• Communities need it- in our world, time is probably more precious than money. Scores of non-profits are doing good work, and while many are strectched for dollars these days, many are always in need of volunteer hours. When we serve, when we give of our time, we serve in a way that you can't put a price tag on.
• It changes our kids- if our children see us serve, and our children participate in service, there's a good chance that they will group up with an ethic of service. Who doesn't want that?
• It is the great equalizer- this past Wednesday was Ash Wednesday. As several churches were holding services, we were serving at the Food Bank with another group. There were young (as young as 3) and old, men and women, politically liberbal and politically conservative, and evangelicals and mainliners. Despite these vast differences, 2,100 backpacks were packed that night, because serving others doesn't care about those differences. If we can agree that serving others is a good thing, what else might we agree on?

What other reasons are missing from this list? Why do you serve?