By Doris McRae • Christ set the standard as a public servant and we are greatly blessed to have a perfect guideline to go by. We are created to serve. Whether we carry food to neighbors, fill various church roles, assist with nursing home and prison ministries, sponsor a child, donate time and resources to charities, participate in disaster relief mission trips, help strangers, send cards, make calls or whatever God lays on our heart to do, all acts are being noted by God.

We are blessed when we put others first and we are also blessed and refreshed when we are on the receiving end of someone’s kindness. Faith and works should be interwoven. One without the other yields incompleteness.

We can be a blessing to others but we can also be a  hindrance to them. I recently heard a TV pastor say “Take no hostages.” The core of his message was, if we harbor resentment, anger, envy or unforgiveness in any form, we are mentally taking hostages without realizing it. If we pour clean water into a dirty glass the water will not be clean. If Christ is at the end of our priorities, we are an unclean vessel unfit for the Master’s use. We can’t walk the path God has planned for us if we are bound by chains.

If God is first in our life, He will supply all our needs according to His riches in glory. He will equip us with an attitude of gratitude in serving our fellow man. 1st Corinthians 2:9 states, “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.”

The blood that flowed from Christ’s body as He suffered on that cross was shed for each of us. One drop can wash away all our sins if we yield to Him. Forgiveness, love, mercy and grace were forever etched in time because of what occurred on the cross.

Everyone has a book in heaven. What we think, say and do determines the content of our book and it will be read back to us when we stand before God.

A few days ago, I was traveling with a church group on Interstate 77 South. We passed by a heart-wrenching accident in the northbound lanes. Several vehicles were involved and I later learned two people died at the scene. We aren’t guaranteed tomorrow. Life can abruptly end without warning.

God’s spotlight is on every day. Yesterday can’t be redone, tomorrow may never come, but today the opportunities for serving others are boundless. What will be recorded in our book today?