Life doesn’t always revolve around us. That can be a hard lesson to learn. As children we grow up being the center of attention. The sound of a cry was like an alarm going off to our parents and they would run to the rescue. At least it was like that for me. As I grew into a young adult I had to learn it wasn’t always about me. High school was like a big slap in the face. I joined a youth ministry program and was soon asked to help out with the middle school youth group.
I learned that the first rule of ministry is serving someone other than yourself—that ministry wasn’t about me at all. I grew up thinking that I was the center of the world, but in helping with the middle school youth group I suddenly found out that I don’t even belong to myself. I had to learn that my life isn’t mine, it belongs to God. This was a big change in my life.
I love my ministry; it is a lot of work, but I love it. There is nothing better than witnessing someone else encounter God because you allowed yourself to be his instrument. For me there is no money or material possession in the universe that is better than that. At the end of the day, I understand and accept that I am not on this planet for myself; we are all here to serve and love one another as Jesus did.
—Victor
Think of a time when someone served you. How did you feel? Humbled? Thankful? Loved? Draw inspiration from this experience and pray about ways you can help others feel the same. And always remember: “The first rule of ministry is serving someone other than yourself.”
In John’s Gospel Jesus says, “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another” (Jn 13:34). God’s love for us is pretty big. How can you develop that kind of love for others—including those you don’t even know?