A Heart for Service

<p>A ministry in Carlsbad, New Mexico, supports their community by offering more than 24,000 pounds of free food each month to local residents. The leader of the ministry shared, &ldquo;People can come here, and we will accept them and meet them right where they are. Our goal is . . . to meet their practical needs to get to their spiritual needs.&rdquo; As believers in Christ, God desires for us to use what we&rsquo;ve been given to bless others, drawing our communities closer to Him. How can we develop a heart for service that brings glory to God?</p> <p>We develop a heart for service by asking God to show us how to use the gifts He&rsquo;s given us to benefit others (1 Peter 4:10). In this way, we offer &ldquo;many expressions of thanks to God&rdquo; for the abundance He&rsquo;s blessed us with (2 Corinthians 9:12). Serving others was an important part of Jesus&rsquo; ministry. When He healed the sick and fed the hungry, many were introduced to God&rsquo;s goodness and love. By caring for our communities, we&rsquo;re following His model of discipleship. God&rsquo;s wisdom reminds us that when we demonstrate God&rsquo;s love through our actions &ldquo;others will praise God&rdquo; (v. 13). Service isn&rsquo;t about self-gratification but about showing others the extent of God&rsquo;s love and the miraculous that ways He works through those who are called by His name.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>