Simply Serving

As I was driving to my weekly tennis session and with a mind just thinking about the happenings this week ... I was suddenly reminded of what Jesus said on the cross. After 3 years of faithfully and sacrificially teaching, healing and serving the people and pouring out his life to the disciples ... and all he received in return was the Cross. And some flogging, mocking and spitting on the face to go with it.

"Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." - Luke 23:34

It dawned upon me that the reason why He could say what He said was because He did all that He did unconditionally. He taught, healed and served ... without any expectation of being rewarded nor acknowledged. No strings attached. No signs of being motivated by the acceptance or appreciation from the people served. No expectation of a thank-you note/ sms, or card or birthday wishes, or people to come to His aid when He needed (after all, He came to theirs when they needed Him). He served because He chose to (out of love). Period.

I think we could do ourselves a huge favour if we too, learn to serve in the same attitude - without expectation and without an indirect need to be appreciated. We will save ourselves a lot of heartache when there's unmet expectation. We will not be caught in a self-pity conversation when people we serve don't meet our level of positive response. Or when no one came to our aid when we need or no 'thank you, you are the best' post on our facebook wall. We serve, because we choose to (out of love -for God and for people). Period. Unconditionally. When we deny ourselves at times to serve, that's the ultimate sacrifice. Don't let unmet expectation rob you the joy of simply serving because we choose to.

(Note: I am in no way advocating a non-appreciative culture. In fact, we need to acknowledge and appreciate those who serve us or others. It's just that Serving people or serving in ministry is for the long haul. Too many times serving attitude is killed by unmet expectations).