Serving Others: "It is more blessed to GIVE than to Receive"

"In everything I did, I showed you by this kind of
hard work we must help the weak, remembering the
words the Lord Jesus himself said, "It is more
blessed to give than to receive."
Luke in the book of Acts 20:35

Some people feel like people in church are so
hypocritical. They say that people act and talk
one way at church and act another way around people
at work or their families and friends. Some
people get frustrated with people in church who
don't love the Lord with all their hearts and
are those people who act completely different
outside of church. They get frustrated because
they know it gives Christians a bad name. I've
heard people say, "If the people in church would
love like Jesus, and live like Jesus, our country
would look a lot different." In some ways this
is very true. If every person who "calls" himself
or herself a Christian lived the way the Bible calls
us to live, a lot more people might want to know
Jesus too. But then again, maybe not. Think about
it, there were MANY people who lived WHEN Jesus
was on earth and they still chose to dismiss His
claim to be God's Son, and the Living God himself
in the flesh. Many of those people even helped
put him to death on a cross!

The reason for today's post is that I've found
the people who "walk" the way they "talk". It
is always in serving that I find these people.
I help serve a couple times a month in the 2-yr.
old room at our church, but there are people who
serve once to twice on a Sunday (we have 3 services)
and also on Wednesday night because there is a
need. They are "giving" their time and energy
so others can be blessed, but the Bible reminds
us, that we will be blessed as we give!

Today I went to Pomona First Baptist to help
prepare food for the homeless. Last year I went
a few times and I was out of town half of the times
this year that they fed them, but I finally made
a point to go. I took Jake with me (he went with
me each time last year) and my mom also went. It
was so awesome to serve others with my own family
by my side. My jobs today were to peel potatoes
(a ton of them!), peel and slice carrots, and
cut and prepare plates with pie for the homeless.
I did a tiny bit compared to the men and women
who are there each month and are committed to
serving the homeless. I was so blessed as I talked
with a few ladies who go to my church that I've
never met before. We talked about many different
things that always brought us back to our faith.
These people love the Lord with all their hearts!
They are loving others and serving others and
giving to others. These people are "living" out
their faith and they increase my faith. It is
exciting to be around people like them.

If you haven't served before, find somewhere to
serve. You will be blessed as you bless others!