But Peter said, “I don’t have any silver or gold for you. But I’ll give you what I have. In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, get up and walk!” Acts 3:6 NLT
Sometimes we back away from the idea of serving because we don’t feel we have what it takes. But we can be assured that God has equipped us with what the people in our paths need. Peter did not have financial resources as he went into the temple to worship and passed a paralyzed man who sat at the gate and begged every morning. But Peter went about with the eyes and heart of Jesus, rooted in a deep relationship with his Father, so his inability to give the man the hoped-for coins didn’t stop him from giving what he could. The words he gave transformed the man’s life forever.
We never need to fear that we are inadequate to serve and make an impact in Jesus’ name. When we wake up each morning empowered by our intimacy with God and reflecting the heart of Jesus, we have what it takes. Think about these resources that are at your disposal always:
Your Words. Write a note or email to a teacher, mentor, church leader, or family member explaining how they impacted your life. Write an encouraging card to someone who is ill or struggling. Recognize someone publicly for kindness. Give a good review for a business. Be certain to say thank you to the overlooked – facility-care persons, bus drivers, servers, sanitation workers, cashiers. Call people by name if they wear a badge, and say something encouraging. Be the calm voice in times of tension and refuse to gossip. Your Time and Presence. Listen. Sit with someone who is going through a hard time. Listen for at least half an hour without interrupting. Encourage more than offer advice. Visit shut-ins, nursing home residents, or a lonely neighbor. Talk, play cards, or even read to them. Give parents a break by watching their kids for a few hours. Plan fun for the kids that they will remember. Your Practical Acts of Service. Give yourself a gift by decluttering your house. Gather used clothes, books, and household goods you do not need and deliver them to a shelter or community closet. Organize a cleanup for an older neighbor, a local park, a playground, or a needy area. Mow grass, weed, and shovel snow for free. Spend an hour in your community picking up trash. Help people move whether you know them well or not. Share your knowledge (cooking, budgeting, basic mechanics) with someone eager to learn. Give people rides to church, to shopping, to anywhere they need to go. Your Tech and Social Media Ability. Share job openings: Connect people who could benefit from knowing each other. Send "thinking of you" texts, letting people know they are valued. Promote and participate in good causes, like blood drives and local charity causes. Use your social media to always uplift. Pray online for community and national needs.
- These actions may not seem directly spiritual, but they reflect the heart of God. Being salt and light in these ways will build trust and open opportunities for relationships and sharing how Jesus has impacted your life.