Weekly Devotional - November 9, 2012

"The king will reply, 'I tell you the truth,
whatever you did for one of the least of these
brothers of mine, you did for me.'"

Matthew 25:40 NIV

Larry Johnson is an author and motivational speaker. He travels the country speaking to groups bringing encouragement. And he is blind. He tells a story of checking into a hotel late at night in New Hampshire. When he asked where he might get some breakfast in the morning he was told there was a McDonald's across the street. Since Larry is blind, he asked if someone could help him get there and was told the shift changed at 7:00 and to be back at the office then.

Larry arrived at the office just before the shift change. Promptly at 7:00 the young man who had helped him the night before said, "Let's go." He led Larry to his car, drove him across what turned out to be a busy highway, helped him order the breakfast, and drove him back to the hotel.

The hotel employee could have said a lot of things the night before to get out of this. "No, sir. The nearest restaurant is a couple of miles down the road." "I'm sorry but we don't have a shuttle service." "Shift change is at 7:30. Be here then and I'll help you." Instead, the employee served someone in need.

Jesus commends that kind of attitude. And condemns the opposite attitude. Not only did Jesus say that serving others was a good thing, hedid it. He served others by healing them of sickness and disease. He served others by comforting them in troubling times. Jesus served others by giving his life for our sins.

How can we ever serve people like Jesus did? How can we ever impact the lives of others like Jesus did? The answer is simple yet profound. Are you ready? Do you have pen and paper? Here it is: love them. Jesus served and served and served because he loved them. He still serves because he loves us.

Do you love people like Jesus does? Serving will become more than an action, it will become love that is seen. Pray that God will help you love and serve others.