“But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:17-18, ESV).

She was doing well with her anemia resolved.

“Your blood’s good. How have you been doing otherwise?” I asked.

“I’m doing well. I’ve got a good church and I’m working with the homeless. Every Saturday, I cook. Then, on Sunday morning I pick up five homeless women and take them to church. Afterward they get a good meal. For Christmas I am going to do a ham. I’m going to slice it and place pineapples between the slices, cherries on top and brown sugar. That’s what they said they wanted.”

My clinical work is primarily with a resource-deprived group of patients. Despite those diminished personal resources, I am amazed by many who serve so sacrificially for others, like my patient above. Their service compels me to examine my own service for those in need.

As I look over my past years, I see so many missed opportunities, primarily due to busyness or selfishness with my time or money. So, I have tried more recently to be intentional, trying to schedule service for others on a regular basis, adding in other opportunities the Lord brings up each week.

Once a month I schedule work at a healthcare clinic for the uninsured.

Once a week I seek a circumstance where I can meaningfully impact someone who is resource deprived.

At least once a year I spend a week or more in international missions, serving those who have little.

I push myself to serve through the ministry of our church, even when “…the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desire for other things…” encourage me to stay home (Mark 4:19, NIV).

I try to respond freely when the Lord brings additional opportunities, by duty if not by heart.

I am not proud of any of this. Though some of this service for the less fortunate comes from my heart, much does not. I would much rather have constant service pour from me like a natural spring, much like my patient above. However, I am not yet fully the man God wishes me to be, so I will deliberately plan to follow His will for those in need until it flows naturally from Christ through me.

Dear Father,

Give me your heart and your feet.

Amen