One summer when I was young, my sister and I took tennis lessons. You know: how to hold the racket, hit the ball, the rules, the technique. I’m not sure I’ve played much since then. But I remember that one of the important things to learn was how to serve. Because if the ball isn’t served, there is no game and a good serve can put you ahead. We would practice daily, hoping for perfection, but not really expecting it!
Though I haven’t really played tennis (or any other games) since then, I have spent the rest of my life learning how to serve. We didn’t really do ‘Community Service’ when I was growing up, the way we do now. We learned to help others and be polite, do work at home and church, and we helped our neighbors, and they helped us. But I don’t think I ever heard of a food bank, or people that were homeless, or realized financial insecurity in my community.
Maybe it was the community I lived in- average, middle class, maybe it was what I was exposed to. But in the years since then, I have come to experience people in all kinds of need-for shelter, food, employment, security, and compassion. And I have learned some of the things I can do tohelp alleviate the need. I continue to learn how to serve, not expecting I can be perfect, but hoping I can come nearer to doing what God calls me towards.
And in that, I also recognized that those simple acts I learned as a child really were serving: learning to be kind and polite, learning to be present for a neighbor, being active in the things my church was doing.
Sometimes serving can be in the little things we do as we care for others, keeping our eyes open to the needs around us and responding with the love of Jesus. We call it Holy Mischief here at Trinity- acts that help and bring joy to others. And how often it boomerangs back and brings us joy!
Let us think about how we can serve others this week. Will we be open to seeing the needs around us and be willing to go out of our way to help others? We have the perfect example of serving in Jesus who spent his life serving. He healed and taught and washed feet and fed and shared the Good News of God’s love. Every day we can strive to be a little more like Jesus!
Hands and hearts like ours can change our families, our community and the world. Let’s be in the game and continue to practice our serve!
See you Sunday,
Nena
