March 18, 2013 - Serving at Home

Ephesians 5:1, 21-25

We are to serve with a happy heart; not with anger or frustration. The word “home” is somewhere you can go to be taken care of, be rejuvenated and catered to, a place where you are not judged – where you can be yourself and still be loved. Where there are no demands set upon you. A place of comfort.

There’s nothing more comforting than having an evening at home with my husband and both our daughters. However, with our oldest away at college those evenings become more infrequent and therefore more treasured.

With that being said after the girls are usually together for a mere 15 minutes there is somebody that has touched someone else or wore an article of clothing that didn’t belong to them*sigh* and there goes my Norman Rockwell vision of “family”.  Our family joke is that no matter how old they are when they are home they are perpetually 5 & 10 years old.  In my mind I have this fantasy of me being the doting, loving wife and mother; when I’m sure (depending upon the day) you could speak to anyone else who lives here and find out that they do not share this impression based on my actions.  Some days I feel that I have more than served my loved ones at home and I am an outright underpaid, overworked maid, chef, nurse, chauffeur, veterinarian, etc. (this list could go on endlessly).  Other days I defiantly go on strike; as though it is my entitlement for all I have done for them all their lives!  Whoooooa – stop!  Is this the Christ-like attitude I should have?  I don’t think so. 

Scripture states that we should:

Ephesians 5:1 - New Life Version (NLV)

5 Do as God would do. Much-loved children want to do as their fathers do.

Ephesians 5:21-25

²¹ Be willing to help and care for each other because of Christ. By doing this, you honor Christ. ²² Wives, obey your own husbands. In doing this, you obey the Lord. ²³ For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. It is His body (the church) that He saves. ²⁴ As the church is to obey Christ, wives are to obey their own husbands in everything.

²⁵ Husbands, love your wives. You must love them as Christ loved the church. He gave His life for it.

Exactly when did Jesus sit back and feel entitled?  When did the Son of God play the martyr?  Never.  That’s when.  So why do I feel that I can act this way sometimes?  What type of example am I setting?  It is times like those, when I am feeling resentful, that I have to step back and ask the Lord to help me regroup.  To count my blessings...the many blessings He has bestowed upon me.  To serve my loved ones with a happy heart and help them feel loved, at all times, in all things because God loves us at all times in all things. 

 Prayer:

Heavenly and gracious Father, thank you for the opportunity of being able to serve my loved ones at home, and in the world.  Thank you for fulfilling me with your constant and abiding love.  Help me to continue to share that love to my family and my neighbors, by having a willing heart to serve them, just as Jesus always served others. 

…. Tammy Fiffick