For this reason they are before the throne of God and serve Him day and night in His temple, and the One sitting on the throne will spread His tent over them. Rev. 7:15.
Many Americans have experienced the difference between shopping at Kmart and at Nordstrom. Merchandise clutters the aisles of Kmart, and looking for an attendant can seem like an all-day affair. On the other hand, Nordstrom is a store chain with a reputation for quality merchandise and exceptional service, even though its prices may not compare with other popular chains. The attendants are polite and knowledgeable and carry you through the shopping experience with aplomb.
A friend of mind recently moved from California, where Nordstrom and Kmart were two prominent choices, to the Philippines, where shopping is often a very different world than that of California. Shortly after his arrival in the Philippines he discovered the limitations of even the legendary Nordstrom. He described his experience in a very large Filipino department store called SM as almost "otherworldly."
South Mall in Manila has an SM store twice the size of most Wal-Marts. As Jim and his family entered the store they immediately noticed the extremely large number of uniformed attendants standing about every 20 feet throughout the store. At one point he counted 14 in a 20-foot radius. If you even dared to approach the extremely well-stocked and organized merchandise, two or three of them would immediately converge to help you in every way possible. Such immediate attention was rather unsettling at first, but after recovering from the initial shock, Jim was able to purchase some much-needed items.
The people of God will one day "serve" God day and night in the heavenly temple. But the best place to practice for that heavenly status is right here and right now. Scripture tells us that the acts of kindness and service that we bestow on others here and now God accepts as if done to Jesus Himself (Matt. 25:34-46).
Finding the balance between genuine, helpful service and annoying intrusiveness requires much experience and a strong dose of the Spirit's guidance. Does the person we wish to serve desire a Kmart, Wal-Mart, Nordstrom, or SM department store type of experience? But when the love of Jesus genuinely drives our service, we can be confident that much good will be done. And in the process of serving others we will learn how to serve God more fully.
Lord, I choose the attitude of a servant today. May others find joy and help in my presence.
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