When I was younger my family used to go to a Salvation Army soup kitchen and serve dinner. I am willing to bet that I did not have the best attitude about it, but for some reason, that experience has stayed with me and often challenged me.
Honestly, I don’t remember every family devotion we did, I don’t remember every conversation I had with my dad about faith, I don’t remember every verse I memorized in my churches equivalent of AWANA, but I do remember going to that soup kitchen and spending time serving the people there.
Somewhere along the way, we stopped doing that. Maybe we were too busy, maybe my parents didn’t think it was worth it because of the attitude of my sisters and myself. I don’t know. But I wish we had done it more. I didn’t know it at the time, but I learned as much about what it means to follow Jesus in that soup kitchen as I did at church.
How are you teaching and showing your family how to serve others as Christ served us?
We read about Jesus feeding the 5000, but do we even take the time to feed a few hungry people at a soup kitchen? We read about Jesus spending time with the outcasts and sinners of society, but are we showing our families how to do the same? We read about Jesus kneeling down and washing the feet of his disciples, but are we willingly giving up our own comfort to serve others?
I don’t know what it looks like for your family to serve together, but I would encourage you to prioritize time to serve others in your family’s schedule. It doesn’t have to be every week, but could it be once a month or a few times a year?
I leave you with this interesting note. In a study1 done on Generation Z, (those born between 1995 and 2010), over 70% of high school students indicated they wanted to start their own business and be their own boss. What this means is that the next generation has a strong desire to be entrepreneurs. What if we can encourage our kids to use that entrepreneurial spirit to make a significant impact in our world for the gospel? The opportunity and capacity for this next generation to do that is there. And I think by serving as a family, a conversation can be started about what it means to be an entrepreneur for Christ.
1CALDERON, VALERIE J. “U.S. Students’ Entrepreneurial Energy Waiting to Be Tapped.” Gallup.com, 13 Oct. 2011, news.gallup.com/poll/150077/Students-Entrepreneurial-Energy-Waiting-Tapped.aspx.
“The Strengths and Weaknesses of Every Generation in Your Workforce.” GetSmarter Blog, 5 Oct. 2018, www.getsmarter.com/blog/career-advice/know-your-generationals/
