Serving as Christ Served

Jesus instructed us to love God with our entire being. Possessing that love means that we can truly love others in the way He would intend. Philippians 2 underscores the importance of self-sacrifice:
1 Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy,
2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

This is only possible in the Church as we all make up our minds to focus on Jesus and sharing the love of Jesus.  It's that love that can break down barriers and spread the presence of God to the world around us. We can be so self-absorbed that we begin to lose sight of the ones whom we are called to serve. So, we develop that sense of common purpose and mutual sacrifice that Jesus teaches. We can recognize that it's truly through Him that can come to pass.

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Over the last few days, perhaps you've heard people speak of sacrifice, and that's appropriate as we recognize our veterans. And, that can inspire us to be cognizant of the societal benefits of taking our eyes off self and placing them on others. For Christians, it means seeking to live and love as Jesus did. In John 15, He said:
12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.
14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.
15 No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.

On this Monday following Veteran's Day, I want to shine the spotlight on someone who is allowing her Christian faith to motivate her to help veterans.  As an article at the website for Pennsylvania television state, ABC 27, notes:

For Christy Lucas, patriotism was a lesson learned early. Her great-grandfather served in World War I and her grandfather in World War II. Her uncle was in the Navy and her dad was in the Marines. Even her grandmother was a Riveter.

“We live in the greatest country in the world and there was a lot of blood shed to protect the rights that we enjoy now,” Lucas said.

The article appeared in 2021, five years after the former teacher and principal established Roots for Boots.  The television station article noted:

...the wife and mother of two boys decided to make a career change. Finding no organization specifically to help local veterans in her rural communty, Lucas decided to start one.

“I knew that I was being called to something bigger than what I was able to do at the school for veterans and it was from that moment that Roots for Boots was started,” she said.

The article notes that the initiative "...has built friendships and rebuilt roofs and decks. Volunteers have given money for rent and car repairs and given veterans a platform to tell their stories. There’s also a military share monthly food drive which started with just eight families."  By 2021, the number had grown to 85. 

The website, The Christian Heart, featured a testimonial from Lucas last year.  She wrote:

It was very apparent what God was up to and I knew my season at the school had come to a close.

Roots for Boots is a grassroots organization that serves the men and women who have put themselves in harm’s way to protect our great country and the freedoms we enjoy. Hence, the name Roots for Boots. We are the “roots” and they are the “boots”! We offer members of the community opportunities to use their God given gifts, talents and resources to engage, connect with and support veterans, active duty and military families. We serve them in a variety of ways, including, but not limited to, assistance with rent, utilities, home/car repairs, roof replacement/repair, gas cards, VA issues, construction of wheelchair ramps, and securing all terrain Action trackchairs for our veterans with disabilities that affect mobility outdoors. These chairs get them back to hunting, fishing or just enjoying the great outdoors!

Her dependence on God is reflected in these words:

The core values of Roots for Boots are to Serve, Educate and Inspire. I put service to others first in my life at a very young age; education was my life’s work and will always be a part of what I do (I go into the schools, usually with a veteran, to educate students about patriotism and love of God, country and serving others); and I hope to inspire others into lives of service.

Every morning, I wake up and ask God to send me to whomever needs me. I put complete trust in Him. When you do that, you better hold on! He will take you on one wild, crazy and wonderful ride! As a teacher, I would tell my students to live each day to be a blessing to others; trust in God; don’t back down from a challenge; don’t be afraid of failure; keep moving forward; you don’t want to miss out on what could be your greatest moment!

Christy Lucas was on the cusp of setting a new career course for her life, and she trusted in God to show her direction in which He desired for her to go.  He opened up the door for her to start an effort to help veterans in her community.  When we think about Christian ministries and even other organizations that are doing good work in their locales, we can certainly recognize that service is a key element.  Through our service, motivated by our love for Christ, people are helped and they can see God's love in action.  We show that we love Him and are loved by Him by our devotion to serving others. 

And, in the aftermath of Veteran's Day, we can also be mindful of those who have bravely served our country, and our country has benefitted so much. Jesus taught in John 15, "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends."  In that Scripture, Jesus shows us a key to being effective witnesses by being willing to put others' lives above our own. That is a core teaching of Christianity and an essential element of building a functioning society.  Selfishness creates dysfunction, but selflessness, especially that lived out in the name of the Lord, brings order amidst chaos and a sense of common purpose.