{"id":32174,"date":"2023-08-28T07:32:48","date_gmt":"2023-08-28T11:32:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/?p=32174"},"modified":"2023-08-28T07:37:30","modified_gmt":"2023-08-28T11:37:30","slug":"monday-morning-moment-raising-adults-part-2-creating-a-culture-of-serving-revisited","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/debmillswriter.com\/?p=32174","title":{"rendered":"Monday Morning Moment – Raising Adults – Part 2 – Creating a Culture of Serving – Revisited"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Photo Credit: Summit Kids Academy<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

[Adapted from my presentation at a home-school conference \u2013 Part 1 on Raising Adults<\/em> with the focus on work and responsibility can be found here<\/a>.]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the most challenging tasks a parent has is to teach a small child how to be deferential \u2013 to respectfully give way to another, to put another first. Whew! This is a hard one. It\u2019s not just about helping a child understand sharing. It\u2019s our demonstrating and them seeing the value of people and taking hold of how we can serve or help them, no matter our age. Not for any reward for ourselves but just because others matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The battles of will that communicate \u201cMe, me!\u201d or \u201cMine, mine!\u201d can wear us out \u2013 both parent and child.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In Part 1<\/a>, we talked about work and kids\u2019 discovery that they can make a difference. Work and exercising responsibility are their own reward. Often there is compensation, but work is a head issue \u2013 a decision made to insert ourselves into a situation for the good of all (both the worker and the larger community).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Serving is a heart issue. In the role of the server, we do ultimately benefit, but the whole focus is on the one served. Serving, by its nature, requires sacrifice, sometimes small but, even for a child, it can be substantial.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before we dive in, let\u2019s pray to wrap our own hearts around this. [I’m coming at this as a Christian, but this, by no means, lessens the import for those who don’t believe. The wisdom of raising adults to serve stands.]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u201cFather, we want to be wholly Yours. Whatever You ask of us\u2026we want to be ready and willing. Not only to be laborers in the Harvest, but to serve with the same heart and mind that Jesus had while He walked this earth. Humble, loving, deferential to others. A servant heart, a mind bent toward You, God, a body and life laid-down in love for others. We want to be responsible and to do good work. Teach us to take our hearts even higher\u2026or lower as the case may be\u2026to serve as Jesus did, in Your abundant grace. In His name. Amen.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When we model and teach work, the mindset or worldview we communicate to our children is \u201cGet it done and done well\u201d<\/strong>. In action and attitude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In serving, one distinctive might be the military acronym: ABCD \u2013 Above & Beyond the Call of Duty<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLet this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in human likeness.<\/strong> And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death\u2014even death on a cross.\u201d<\/em> \u2013 Philippians 2:5-8<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c<\/strong>He has shown you, O mankind, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God<\/strong>?\u201d \u2013 Micah 6:8<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDo nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves<\/strong>.<\/em> Everyone should look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.\u201d<\/em> \u2013 Philippians 2:3-4<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What if, along with leading our children to be responsible, we created a culture of serving? What would our homes be like if our kiddos embraced serving as a good thing and something they were capable of? And not just for a jelly bean or a favorite TV show.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo Credit: Caring For Our Generations<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lisa Jacobson<\/a>, author, encourager and mother of 8 has a lot to say about her own experience of creating a culture of serving:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI did things right. The way things should be done.<\/em> Oh, and, of course, I was serving my family all the while. I was the sacrificial mom who cooked, laundered, and cleaned up after everyone. Most every job was done by me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And, as a ‘shining model’ of service, I figured my children would eventually follow my example. It was obvious that I worked hard and did my best to please our family. So wouldn\u2019t they just naturally follow in my footsteps? <\/strong>More is caught<\/em> than taught<\/em>, right? But you know something? They didn\u2019t catch on like I thought they would. They really enjoyed being served\u2026and it kind of stopped there. I was a good giver. They were good takers.\u201d <\/strong>\u2013 Lisa Jacobson<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

She then discovered how to teach her children the joy of serving others:<\/p>\n\n\n\n