His Story
Why Serve? “It Flows From Me...”
by D.L. SjoMoody
“I’m paying for the person’s coffee behind me as well.”
Response of that person: Totally predictable. “I could have sworn I just heard you say you were paying for my drink...”
“I did. Please tell this barista what you want - and make sure it is a venti size (the large one) - nothing conservative please.”
"Oh, you don’t need to do that. I can pay for my own coffee drink.”
“Well of course you can. You wouldn’t be standing in line if you couldn’t unless you were expecting a miracle of some sort - were you expecting a miracle?” (I like to rib people - usually they start laughing at that point!)
“I can’t let you do that!”
“Oh yes you can. I aspire to serve a number of people each day - every day - seven days a week. It seems to be more fun to serve others than to be served. If you don’t let me serve you I will have to do something really odd like help a little old lady cross the street - and the nearest crosswalk is like a mile away... just tell them what you want - the people in line here are getting testy.”
Predictable question after getting their drink: “Okay - so what’s the deal here? What are you selling? What’s this all about?”
I live in an area of Tampa that is mostly inhabited by former New Jersey-New York and Philly people. I love these folks! They are my kind of people. There is nothing passive about them. They just say it like it is - no filters!
“Actually there is no deal at all. No strings attached. A few years ago, I was not searching, but something grabbed hold of my life. Since then I have become kind of hooked on showing people
- generosity
- kindness
- respect... whenever I get the chance. Now I’m kind of ‘eaten up’ as surfers say with all of this. I don’t really keep a close track on it very closely - but I know I end up connecting with quite a few every day.”
“I honestly don’t try to be kind. It is kind of natural now - it’s like a new normal that just flows from within me now. Not that my life is together by any means, but there is something within myself that has changed.”
I can’t be kind. Neither can you. Kindness is an aspect of the presence of God’s Spirit within a believer.
The fastest way to get God’s kindness flowing through any of us is to try to be kind.
(Some reading this are wondering, “Don’t you give people a ‘Connect Card’? Yes, but in a sensitive way. This is all about serving others. This is not a “I buy you a coffee, now you have to take my not-so-clever card about my goofy church...” To do that is downright silly - verging on doing more harm than good sometimes. We can easily come across as those who live in a culture of conditional love - “You are welcome as long as you buy into what we are about... as long as you come to our church...” If you are still thinking in those terms you don’t yet get it. If you are there, keep serving boys and girls...)
by D.L. SjoMoody
“I’m paying for the person’s coffee behind me as well.”
Response of that person: Totally predictable. “I could have sworn I just heard you say you were paying for my drink...”
“I did. Please tell this barista what you want - and make sure it is a venti size (the large one) - nothing conservative please.”
"Oh, you don’t need to do that. I can pay for my own coffee drink.”
“Well of course you can. You wouldn’t be standing in line if you couldn’t unless you were expecting a miracle of some sort - were you expecting a miracle?” (I like to rib people - usually they start laughing at that point!)
“I can’t let you do that!”
“Oh yes you can. I aspire to serve a number of people each day - every day - seven days a week. It seems to be more fun to serve others than to be served. If you don’t let me serve you I will have to do something really odd like help a little old lady cross the street - and the nearest crosswalk is like a mile away... just tell them what you want - the people in line here are getting testy.”
Predictable question after getting their drink: “Okay - so what’s the deal here? What are you selling? What’s this all about?”
I live in an area of Tampa that is mostly inhabited by former New Jersey-New York and Philly people. I love these folks! They are my kind of people. There is nothing passive about them. They just say it like it is - no filters!
“Actually there is no deal at all. No strings attached. A few years ago, I was not searching, but something grabbed hold of my life. Since then I have become kind of hooked on showing people
- generosity
- kindness
- respect... whenever I get the chance. Now I’m kind of ‘eaten up’ as surfers say with all of this. I don’t really keep a close track on it very closely - but I know I end up connecting with quite a few every day.”
“I honestly don’t try to be kind. It is kind of natural now - it’s like a new normal that just flows from within me now. Not that my life is together by any means, but there is something within myself that has changed.”
I can’t be kind. Neither can you. Kindness is an aspect of the presence of God’s Spirit within a believer.
The fastest way to get God’s kindness flowing through any of us is to try to be kind.
(Some reading this are wondering, “Don’t you give people a ‘Connect Card’? Yes, but in a sensitive way. This is all about serving others. This is not a “I buy you a coffee, now you have to take my not-so-clever card about my goofy church...” To do that is downright silly - verging on doing more harm than good sometimes. We can easily come across as those who live in a culture of conditional love - “You are welcome as long as you buy into what we are about... as long as you come to our church...” If you are still thinking in those terms you don’t yet get it. If you are there, keep serving boys and girls...)
Comments