Joy in Serving...

I had the privilege of babysitting one of my nieces recently. What a joy!

"If you are going to live for the service of your fellow-men,

 you will certainly be pierced through with many sorrows, 

for you will meet with more base ingratitude 

from your fellow-men than you would from a dog. 

You will meet with unkindness and 'two-facedness,' 

and if your motive is love for your fellow-men,

 you will be exhausted in the battle of life. 

But if the mainspring of your service is love for God, 

no ingratitude, no sin, no devil, no angel,

 can hinder you from serving your fellow-men, 

no matter how they treat you. 

You can love your neighbour as yourself, 

not from pity, but from

 the true centering of yourself in God."

 --Oswald Chambers, 

in Biblical Psychology 

from the Quotable Oswald Chambers.

My heart leaped with 'knowing' when I read these words,

and what an encouragement they are!

Serving God with a truly thankful heart

means humanity in its sinfulness

cannot drag us into despair and despondency.

Jesus came to minister to,

not to be ministered to.

May we ever follow His perfect example.