A Summer of Serving

^{Galaians 5:13}For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. ¹⁴For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

We are free. Thank God we are free. He has done so much for us, and when Jesus was here He was all about serving. So lets not let our freedom be used to serve ourselves. Let us have pure JOY. I've heard JOY as an acronym- Jesus first, Others second, Yourself last. Then you can have pure JOY.

Every summer I get the opportunity to go to camp and serve on staff. I get to work in the garden, wash the dishes, clean the bathrooms, dorms, chapel and more. I get to serve the campers food and I get to put a smile on my face and serve. It is my pleasure to serve. When my heart is in the right place, focused on Jesus, then it truly is my pleasure to serve because that was what Jesus would be doing if He was here.

Summer is right around the corner and so my time at camp is coming quicker than I ever imagined. But summer is not the only time I can serve. Where ever I am, whatever I am doing I have a chance to serve others. To smile at them. To pick up dropped toys. To clean up a spill. To hug someone who is discouraged. And above all to constantly be shining for Jesus.

I have freedom. Excessive freedom. And I know I could indulge my fleshy desire and do things that 'feel good' to me. But the truth is, nothing feels better than when I am serving others.

^{Matthew 22:35}One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, ³⁶"Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?" ³⁷And He said to him, " ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ ³⁸"This is the great and foremost commandment. ³⁹"The second is like it, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself..’