Dear friends,
November is a time of celebration and remembrance… a month when we particularly appreciate, think and value the presence and contribution of others. With the marked days of All Saints, when we think of those who have modelled Christian discipleship for us… to the service at All Souls when we give thanks for the lives of those we have loved and lost… and also on Remembrance Day when we hold before God those who have died in the pursuit of peace for all – all of these make it quite a poignant month.
And one of the themes which runs through these special days is that of service. It is a word which we know well… we sing about in hymns (Brother, sister, let me serve you) and a word which is synonymous with Jesus’ ministry and incarnation – as we remember how He washed feet and healed those who cried out to Him. It is a word we try to take to heart in our own daily lives.
The remarkable thing about service is that it is rarely about just one person doing something for another. It is (if done genuinely) more often a two way street. It encompasses not only the giving to others, whether that be of time, presence, practical chores, or a kind word, but also the receiving in return. That receiving often outweighs the giving. It happens when we open ourselves to the other, learn of them, listen to them and gradually be transformed in the exchange.
Service is about recognising that everyone in this world is equal. That no one is better or more important than another. We are no ‘better’ than the teenage parent, the patient in hospital, the disenchanted youngster who struggles to find an identity. We are no better than the stranger in need on the street whom we notice but rarely do anything about.
When we serve, we join in with the love which is already being poured out from God. When we serve, we understand more deeply that our own transformation and salvation is inextricably linked with the other. Service helps us to wake up, know what is truly important, and live with a purpose and meaning.
And all of this happens not only when we serve another, but also when we accept service and love from another. Often the latter is harder to do. May we continue to help and serve one another in the name of Him who is Love.
with love, Liz