Thought for Today

This is from this month's Tabletalk article called "True Greatness" by Tom Ascol.

"You can gauge how far along you are in developing a servant's heart by taking note of how you respond when someone treats you like a servant. When feelings of resentment, bitterness, or anger emerge when our acts of kindness seem unappreciated that is a good indicator that we still have a way to go in our pursuit of true greatness."


---"just as the Son on Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." Matthew 20:28

I will often pride myself on my service: I give up so much for my children and love it, it doesn't bother me to get up early when Matt oversleeps and make him some breakfast and coffee, If you are in need of a meal, call me because I love to make food for others, I love to have people over, etc. Today it hit me that perhaps what I really love is other's gratitude. I love making people happy. The joy on their face when I do something for them makes me feel good. As I was reading today, I felt very convicted. I have often confessed to Matt that I get so angry when the boys don't even recognize that I spend my entire day doing things to make them happy, or comfortable, or clean and all they can do at the moment is complain, like "Mom, it just isn't good enough, try again" And what would I do if Matt told me his coffee was too sweet yesterday, or if a family told me the meal I brought just wasn't up to par? Would I joyfully keep serving, or would I build an angry resentment and quit trying? I even think sometimes that one day these boys are going to realize everything I have done for them and praise my wonderful service! Here the Lord is using my boys to teach me yet another lesson about myself. Jesus gave His life for me, and I know I often go about my day taking it for granted. I can't grasp the extent of His sacrifice, and often dismiss it as His job. I look at how Jesus lovingly laid down his life even when no one really got what He was doing, and I ask "Lord make me like this, make me not care about other's appreciation, but give me a heart that wants to serve you."