Monday, June 9, 2014

I’m the Leader Part II: Making Servant-Leadership Practical for Little Ones

Trash. It was all over the yard. People stopped and stared and shook their heads. No one said it out loud, but everyone wondered “What in the living daylights is wrong with those neighbors?” You know what I’m talking about…those neighbors. Who are they? The ones with the unkempt yard, unusual behavior, the ones that leave you scratching your head and wondering what in the world is going on in that home? They are different. They are not accepted.

Well, those neighbors had trash all over their yard, and they were obviously out of town, so they couldn’t do anything about it. Because they put their trash out in bags instead of a trashcan (which is against our HOA rules), some raccoon or other woodsy animal had a field day ripping through their garbage. To tell you the truth, even if those neighbors had been home, they may not have done anything about it.

Our other neighbors were not amused, yet no one helped. Sooooo….one Sunday while our two younger kids were taking a nap, my husband announced that it was “time to be like Jesus”…he decided it was time to for a service project. My hubs and our oldest Doodlebug (armed with plastic bags around their hands) went and picked up every piece of trash and rebagged it.

I know some of our neighbors watched and peeked out of their windows. I hope they saw Jesus by our example. Perhaps the biggest impact was upon our oldest Doodlebug. It took them quite some time to pick up all the little scraps that the wind had blown about, but he did it without complaining. I was so proud of him. I wanted him to know that being a leader sometimes means going first…being humble enough to do the “dirty work”. He also learned that sometimes our service goes unthanked or unnoticed. Our neighbors probably didn’t even know their trash had blown all over the yard or that my husband and son rebagged it for them.

My Doodlebug learned that day that leadership requires humility and is not dependant upon the applause of others. Fellow mom, I have to be honest, this service project was not my idea (it was my husband’s), but it got me thinking…I need to serve alongside my kids. A mission trip would go a long way in their little hearts (it may even make them thankful for the food on their plates and get rid of all this picky eater nonsense LOL), but until then we can make service an everyday thing by looking for little ways to impact those that we encounter doing the ordinary things (grocery shopping, waiting at sporting practices, hanging out at the park, etc.) There are hurting and needy people all around us…people who need to feel and experience the love of Jesus. We, along with our children, can meet some of those needs. Those little hands can show them Jesus.

Fellow momma, let’s take the time to access the needs around us. Let’s teach our children that it is better to serve than be served. Let’s help them develop a heart like Jesus.

Let’s Pray:

Heavenly Father, humility is not always easy, but we thank you for your perfect example. Please give us the grace to walk in your ways and the desire and creativity to teach our kids to do the same. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.



A generous man will prosper, he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.” Psalm 11:25 (NIV)



But Jesus called them together and said, "You know that in this world kings are tyrants, and officials lord it over the people beneath them. But among you it should be quite different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must become your slave. For even I, the Son of Man, came here not to be served but to serve others, and to give my life as a ransom for many." Matthew 20:25-28 (NLT)

2 comments:

  1. Beautifully written and such a great reminder! After reading this blog we set out on a mission to serve somebody!:) xo

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