Things My Mother Taught Me | Serve Unnoticed

“…whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant…”  Mark 10:43

It was past midnight, but Mom’s sewing machine still hummed. Money was tight this year, nothing left over for Christmas gifts. But her children would never go without. She would do whatever it took to keep warm food in the tummies and nice clothes on their backs. She cared nothing about the fact that she would receive no gifts. Her best present would be watching her children’s excitement when they saw the simple things she made for them. Her joy was in serving their needs.

Moms demonstrate selfless giving before we are old enough to appreciate it. Babies scream in the middle of the night. Toddlers throw food across the room. Teenagers sulk and sass over every little thing. Did any of us give a thought to what it cost Mom to meet our needs? Of course not. But ideally, as we mature, we begin to recognize all we’ve been given. No one paid Mom to pretend she didn’t want the last piece of cake. There was no applause when she returned her new dress and bought shoes for her kids instead. But her reward is watching those children grow up to do the same thing. She may be plain, uneducated, poor, or timid, but a mother who puts her family’s needs ahead of her own is demonstrating true greatness.

Final Thought:  Are you willing to serve unnoticed so that others can succeed? That’s where greatness is cultivated.

Prayer: Lord, you were the greatest of all who ever walked this earth; yet, you always took the role of a servant. As I strive to become more like you, remind me often that greatness is cultivated when I put others ahead of myself.  Amen.