Working versus serving: What do you think? Is there a difference?
Merriam-Webster defines work as doing “something that involves physical or mental effort, especially for money or because of a need instead of for pleasure: labor.”
Servant, on the other hand, is defined as “a person who is devoted to or guided by something.”
David and I are out in Colorado this week with a group from our church.
I’d like to think that our group is SERVING instead of just WORKING.
When I think of the word work, I think of a duty, a chore, an obligation. However, when I think of serving, I think of an unselfish act, or of meeting the needs of someone else. It’s all about being willing to give of yourself to minister to someone else and to do whatever it takes to get something done.
We’re among a larger group of about 45 people from around the country that have given up their week to serve at a Christian family ranch called Wind River near Estes Park.
Some of us are moving rocks and mulch, some are pouring concrete paths, some are painting, some are deep-cleaning buildings and cabins, some are fixing and replacing wood boards on the porches. A group of us were even asked to go into the horse arenas to scoop poop! It was sorta gross, but together we laughed and the view of the mountains was spectacular! We actually found ourselves having a good time (though we gagged once in a while).
There are many jobs that need to be done by the time that the first guests arrive on May 29. We’re all working together, side by side. We’re trying to be the hands and feet of Christ. Lots of laughter can be heard. Many stories are being shared. Some tears have been shed. We’re making new friends and building relationships as we roll up our sleeves and dig into whatever needs to be accomplished.
Wind River Ranch is a place that’s incredibly special to our family.
It’s not only been a great vacation spot with magnificent views of God’s creation, it’s been a place of immense refuge and healing for us. David and I have attended a couple’s retreat out here, and we attended week-long family camps in the summers for about eight years with our kids when they were younger. Our daughter, Samantha, volunteered out here one summer. I’ve attended one of their women’s retreats in the fall with a small group of friends from our church. The past few years, David has led a group from our church on a work week to get the ranch up and running.
1 Peter 4:10 says, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”
Along those same lines, Philippians 1:4 says, “Each of you should be concerned not only about your own interests, but the interests of others as well.”
This week, we are not just working. We are trying to be joyful servants.
Do you think there’s a distinction between working and serving? How have you been serving God lately?
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