www.bible.com/reading-plans/11667/day/10

Serve while you grow and you end up growing more. I found in my life as a teacher in various states teaching various subjects that nowhere did I grow more in my knowledge and dependence on God than when I was told I would be teaching Latin I in high school. I am trained to teach Spanish and history, but the administrators needed a Latin teacher and said that since I had a background in Spanish (a Romance language) I would do fine. Let me tell you, I studied that subject every night, barely staying ahead of the students. The Latin teacher who was there to help me for about a month left to get knee surgery, had complications and was out for most of the year. So, there was me and a substitute who knew no Latin or any language at all. I did have one human resource, a teacher named David from another school who would answer all of my questions. (I kept a running list.) I also called on God over and over again to help me to understand and to remember the conjugations, declensions and vocabulary that were all totally new to me. My six week class of introductory Latin in high school that I took to help with my SAT scores was not terribly helpful, but David was and God calmed my spirit. I learned by doing. I taught and I learned.

Sometimes, we are called to step outside of our comfort zone and just do what God is calling us to do. This week I have been at my sister’s house in NC. I would much rather be in my warm home in VA, preparing for a visit from my son and his family. She is not especially pleasant to be around since she is not a Christian, wants little or nothing to do with God and seems to have developed a bitter spirit about Him since she is going blind. I have helped all that I can. I have prepared meals, cleaned, ministered to her needs so she doesn’t have to struggle to get up. I have tried to show her that Christians are not sanctimonious and judgmental but loving and kind. Has this been a great visit for me? Not according to earthly standards, but I have been doing what God sent me here to do. I have served. I am not trying to toot my horn or get pats on the back. I am just saying that someone, somewhere can use your gifts, talents and ministry of serving. You just have to find where and how to do it. You will never know true fulfillment here on earth until you are following Jesus’s example and serving, even when the people you serve don’t seem to see or appreciate what you do. God sees and He is smiling at you because you are looking more like His beloved Son every day that you serve others.