It is my prayer that every Christian recognizes the importance of serving God through the way we serve others.  There are few things, if any, that are as emotionally exhilarating, and draining, as the task of serving others.  Having worked in a variety of ministry settings, including various roles within Christian camp ministry, I understand the excitement that often comes with the beginning of a new ministry or ministry season.  I also understand the weariness than can develop when our focus begins to drift away from the ministry of serving and onto ourselves.

This is day two in the final week of devotions from the book, “Serving God: Devotions for Active Worship”.  This devotional book is laid out in thirteen weeks of daily devotions with each week wrapped around an aspect of how we can serve others.  Each of these devotions are designed to help a person spend time with God to see how serving others is an act of worship.

Serving God:
Go To the Streets

“Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come.  Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’  So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.“
Matthew 22:8-10 (NIV)

How comfortable are you talking with strangers?  How much do you deliberately try to live in a way that people “see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven”?  When you are out in a crowd, would you rather be noticed or blend in?  Why?  In the places of life where you normally go, where is the place most likely to have people that do not yet follow Jesus?  In what ways can you serve them as you go?

For far too long, a primary strategy of many churches, and Christians, is to allow the church building to be the place of evangelism in the community.  While there are some who will be reached through special programs and events at a church building, there is still a need for people to go to the street and invite people to Jesus.  While we’ve all likely seen examples of people “preaching” on the street corner that seems to do more harm than good, that shouldn’t stop us from going to the street to serve people with the love of Christ.

As you pray, ask God to give you a heart of compassion for the people you pass by on a daily basis.  Pray for wisdom and courage to take your faith outside of the walls of a church building and learn how to effectively serve those on the street.

In prayer,

Tom