Serve Wholeheartedly

"I think you might have 2's & 3's tomorrow," my mom reminded me. "You might want to check the schedule."

With a sinking feeling, I pulled out the paper. Yes, she was right. Great. I was going to miss the sermon, again just so I could watch a handful of crying, runny-nosed kids. I knew exactly what would happen. They would play with the same toys, knock over the same blocks, and cry about the same things. I would read them Bible stories from the same picture book, sing the same songs, and hand out the same stale animal crackers. Sure sounds like fun, doesn't it?

The next morning, I my attitude was only worse.

"Would you like to sit together during the service?" My friend said as we left our Sunday School class.

"Can't." I looked over my shoulder towards the classroom, where children were already being dropped off. "I've got 2's & 3's today. This is the third sermon I've missed this month!"

I made my way over to the classroom, and had an experience much like the ones I had every month. There were a few tears, they didn't want to glue down the cotton balls, they happily ate the stale crackers, they played with the play-dough. And, in the back of my mind, I was grumpy and wishing I wasn't there.

Not long later, I came across this verse:

Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever he does, whether he is slave or free." Ephesians 6:7-8

I began to think about what the true purpose was for watching these children. Yes, I did it so their parents could have a break during the service, and to teach these little ones about Jesus. But the ultimate purpose? It is to serve Christ. And if I am serving Christ with a wimpy attitude, then there is hardly any point in serving at all.

Tomorrow, it's my turn to watch the 2's & 3's again. You know what? I'm going to serve filled with the Lord's power and joy.

Maybe you'll be serving tomorrow, too. Maybe you're teaching Sunday School to some restless, teenage boys. Maybe you're counting the offering, shelving the library books, working the sound system, playing the guitar, or serving the morning coffee.

It's easy to look at these things as mundane, to find them unimportant or even boring. But if we serve Jesus filled with joy, and as an act worship, think of what can change!

Tomorrow, let's focus on Christ, and serve Him with our whole heart.