Service. This is our theme for 2015. What comes to your mind when you think of service? Do you think of various activities that qualify as service? People in need? Feelings and attitudes you experience while serving? How about Christ? Do you think of Christ when you think of Service?
What is it about service that should remind us of Christ?
Well, what do we know about Christ's life? How did He serve?
-Matthew 14:13-21 He was "moved with compassion toward them" (loaves of bread and fish)
-John 9:1-7 He served as a way to show us the reality and power of God "but that the works of God may be manifest in him" (healing of the blind man)
-John 13:4-5;12-17 He served absolutely everyone and did so as an example to all. (washing the feet of the disciples)
-1 Nephi 11:31 He served with undeniable priesthood power and served great MULTITUDES (healing and casting out evil spirits)
-3 Nephi 17:5-9 He was in tune with those he served; he perceived the needs of others (this scripture also goes with the concept of "first observe, then serve")
What motivates Christ to do these things?
John 13:34-35 LOVE-he loves us, and he loves our Father in Heaven
Did you hear it—the invitation to love one another? For some, serving or ministering one by one, following the Savior’s example, doesn’t come easily. But with practice, each of us can become more like the Savior as we serve God’s children. To help us better love one another, I would like to suggest four words to remember: “First observe, then serve.” (Linda K Burton)
What reasons (both good and bad) do WE have for serving?
-Expectations of others
-Get the recognition
-Make ourselves "look" good
-To have power or dominion over others
"A person without guile is a person of innocence, honest intent, and pure motives, whose life reflects the simple practice of conforming his [or her] daily actions to principles of integrity. "
(Story of Shiblon)
My Book of Mormon hero is a perfect example of a wonderful and blessed soul who was truly good and without guile. Shiblon was one of the sons of Alma the Younger. We are more familiar with his brothers Helaman, who would follow his father as the keeper of the records and the prophet of God, and Corianton, who gained some notoriety as a missionary who needed some counsel from his father. To Helaman, Alma wrote 77 verses (see Alma 36–37). To Corianton, Alma dedicated 91 verses (see Alma 39–42). To Shiblon, his middle son, Alma wrote a mere 15 verses (see Alma 38). Yet his words in those 15 verses are powerful and instructive.
“And now, my son, I trust that I shall have great joy in you, because of your steadiness and your faithfulness unto God; for as you have commenced in your youth to look to the Lord your God, even so I hope that you will continue in keeping his commandments; for blessed is he that endureth to the end.
“I say unto you, my son, that I have had great joy in thee already, because of thy faithfulness and thy diligence, and thy patience and thy long-suffering among the people” (Alma 38:2–3).
In addition to speaking to Shiblon, Alma also spokeabout him to Corianton. Alma said: “Have ye not observed the steadiness of thy brother, his faithfulness, and his diligence in keeping the commandments of God? Behold, has he not set a good example for thee?” (Alma 39:1).2
It appears that Shiblon was a son who wanted to please his father and went about doing what was right for right’s sake rather than for praise, position, power, accolades, or authority. Helaman must have known and respected this about his brother, for he gave Shiblon custody of the sacred records he had received from his father. Surely Helaman trusted Shiblon because “he was a just man, and he did walk uprightly before God; and he did observe to do good continually, to keep the commandments of the Lord his God” (Alma 63:2). As seems truly characteristic of Shiblon, there is not much recorded about him from the time he took possession of the sacred records until he gave them to Helaman’s son Helaman (see Alma 63:11).
Shiblon was truly good and without guile. He was a person who sacrificed his time, talents, and effort to help and lift others because of a love for God and his fellowmen (see Alma 48:17–19; 49:30). He is described perfectly by the words of President Spencer W. Kimball: “Great women and men are always more anxious to serve than to have dominion.”3
In a world where praise, position, power, accolades, and authority are sought on every side, I honor those wonderful and blessed souls who are truly good and without guile, those who are motivated by a love of God and their neighbors, those great women and men who are “more anxious to serve than to have dominion.”
-It's how we feel the spirit
-We see a need
-It makes us happy-It makes others happy
-We've been commanded to
-We've made a covenant to
-We love our fellow men
-We want to be like the savior
What reasons do we have for NOT serving?
-laziness, inconvenience
-selfishness
-we are not met with gratitude
Christ served, knowing very well he would not be met with gratitude from everyone. He served anyway.
HOW can we serve?
(Some Examples from Linda K. Burton's talk include:)
-Helping sisters in the temple
-Being up in the night with sick family members
-Cleaning up after natural disasters
-Helping others with their church calling
-Paying special attention to individuals who need extra love
-Inviting someone who is sitting alone to come sit by you
-Helping other sisters with their personal progress-Remembering the elderly and widowed
-Extending an invitation to someone who never gets picked
-Babysitting (I was so touched and relieved when the YW came with me to the temple to babysit when Mac, Kaylin and Maddy were sealed)
-Thoughtful written notes, texts, emails etc.
-Making a little extra food/dessert and sharing with friends, neighbors and those in need-Giving rides to people
-Using your skills (sewing, for example-burp cloths, blankets, etc.)
-Reading to younger kids
-Helping mom and dad with house chores
-Walking someone home-Taking time to simply listen
-Checking on a neighbor
Have any of you had recent experience either giving or receiving service?
Nothing heals the heart better than giving and receiving service :).
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