When service is unto people, the bones can grow weary, the frustration deep. Because, agrees Dorothy Sayers, "whenever man is made the centre of things, he becomes the storm-centre of trouble. The moment you think of serving people, you begin to have a notion that other people owe something for your pains... You will begin to bargain for reward, to angle for applause."
When the laundry is for the dozen arms of children or the dozen legs, it's true, I think I'm due some appreciation. So comes a storm of trouble and lightning strikes joy. But when Christ is at the center, when dishes, laundry, work, is my song of thanks to Him, joy rains. Passionately serving Christ alone makes us the loving servant to all. When the eyes of the heart focus on God, and the hands on always washing the feet of Jesus alone-the ones, they sing joy, and the work returns to its purest state: eucharisteo. The work becomes worship, a liturgy of thankfulness.
"The work we do is only our love for Jesus in action," writes Mother Teresa. "If we pray the work...if we do it to Jesus, if we do it for Jesus, if we do it with Jesus....that's what makes us content."
That is what makes us content-the contented, deep joy is always in the touching of Christ-in whatever skin He comes to us in. [One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp]
I picture a bucket full then emptied out. Some days I just feel empty. I am empty. And I know I need to spend more time filling up on His word and spending time with the Lord. I've got to stop starting days empty. I've got to fill up, empty it out, then fill up again. We're not meant to stay full and we're not meant to stay empty.
