A red body and green arms. I never would’ve thought of that combination. I love the imaginations that children possess. It’s so beautiful that each of us have a different way of seeing things, and that our individuality can come together and make deep impact around the world. I believe that each person has something to offer the greater good. Not everyone is going to color the body red and not everyone is going to color the arms green. It’s the same way with our roles in the Kingdom. God promises to use all things for our good and for His glory. Because of that we know that the things we go through can and will be used for greater purpose. Good, bad and ugly it CAN and WILL be used. While we can’t change everything that happens to and around us, we can choose to use our lives to impact others. 

 Not everyone will make coffee at the church, clean up after the play, volunteer to bake for the kindergarten class, start a non-profit, adopt a child, serve in a food pantry, go on a mission trip, pay for someone to go on a mission trip, speak from the big stage, lead worship, work in a cubicle or be a checker at the grocery store. Not everyone is born into wealth and not everyone is born into poverty. Some people will grow up with incredible families and some will grow up in broken and lonely places. Each thing we face is an opportunity to choose growth, and to choose being the change. No matter our life or our location, we can live a life focused on others. 

There really is no excuse for NOT serving in some capacity.

If you are baking cupcakes for the kindergarten class, pray over the child that will receive each one, and deliver them with joy. If you are a checker at the grocery store, smile and be kind. You never know what the person standing before you faced today. If you are called to adopt a child, do it. (Don’t fret about the details...God is in those, too.) If you aren’t, give to the person that is. If you are born into or obtain wealth, be wise and be generous. If you are a stay at home mom and can’t GO serve somewhere, make cards with your kids and mail them to people that could use a smile. There is ALWAYS something we can do for someone else. We have a neighbor that lives around the corner from us in Haiti. Materially, they have nothing. But, when Joe was sick a month or so ago the wife brought over a few pieces of fruit that were sure to heal him right up. There really is no excuse for NOT serving in some capacity. 

 No matter how you see the colors on the page, it’s about the daily surrender and the choice to serve & love large in all circumstances.