Service

1 John 3:18 (ESV)

Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.

Longwood University basketball coach Jayson Gee’s life has been spent in service. Not only to the young men on his teams, but his heart of serving like Christ has been best exemplified in his unflinching belief and dedication to his son, Brandon.

While Brandon suffered years of severe child-onset paranoid schizophrenia, Jayson constantly streamed love and affirmation to his son. He brought the Luke 15 parable of the shepherd going after the one lost sheep to life. Even as he endured streams of verbal and physical tirades from his son, Jayson steadfastly responded to each outburst with a soft, “I love you” and believed in faith that God would make good on His promise to heal Brandon.

Jayson went to extreme levels to give of himself day after day for years for the sake of his son. Much like God, the Father who gave out of love His own Son, who served and suffered for us. We can hold to this sacrifice as an example of lifting others above ourselves when we believe God to do amazing things in the lives of our friends, neighbors, and teammates.

There is healing when we offer our hearts to care for another. And God can take our offering and multiply it beyond what we can imagine. We just need to keep the faith and believe God will do what He says He will do.

Who can you think of that is a difficult person in your life, but God wants you to serve?

Dear Lord, this is a broken and hurting world. So many cry out for mercy and for kindness. You are the light of the world, and You cannot be hidden. We want to pour our self out in service to others to show them Your love; give us the grace to bear another’s burdens. In the Name of Jesus,  Amen.