As I’ve said before regarding this type of post there are a great many people who have never even heard of such a thing….the Word of the Year? What the heck is that all about???? But, it is actually a real thing. You only have to google the phrase to get inundated with a great many posts and words used for past years. I myself have been selecting a word of the year since 2014 to focus on each year. My previous words were Christlike, Gratitude, Joy, and Intentional. You can click each word for the link to each of those posts if you’d like. Selecting a “word” is just one small way of intentionally growing in a particular area of your life.
Although it’s certainly not necessary to choose on this basis, as a Christian each of my words have been Christ-related, because that is the area where I seek most to grow and deepen. Especially as I get older. And this year is no different. Although I will say I had a much more difficult time deciding on my word this year. There were so many words swirling around my head that were viable contenders. But this word to “serve” is the one that seems to jump out at me the most.
So this is the word I will be focusing on.
Partly because I don’t do enough of it.
Don’t get me wrong – I have “served” in the past on numerous charity projects through interior design and such (you can check a couple of them out here and here. (Excuse the haphazard format on the second post – when I changed my WordPress theme/design to a more current one it affected some of my old posts and I don’t have it in me to go back and correct them all.) As you can see, the nature of what I do for a living is an area that God has used for me to serve….and joyfully so.
And, we are basically commanded in the Bible to do just that as in the scripture above. It’s been an enormous blessing to use what God has blessed me with to help and serve others. But, aside from the fact that it’s been years since I’ve even done a project like that (too long actually), and the compulsion to get on the ball again – I feel compelled even more so to serve in other ways as well.
I know to some this will sound ridiculously corny….and certainly to those who are not Christians or to those who think Christians are fake and/or hokey….but this year I truly feel compelled to serve everyday people who I’m in contact with in Christlike love and compassion and kindness. Even if it’s just to serve by being polite, attentive and courteous. Validating their value here on this earth in a very real way. So while I want to serve in big ways, too, and know that I absolutely should – I also want to be sure I’m serving in small ways…all day…..everyday. Because I’ve come to believe serving in these small ways have a very big impact.
As I’ve gotten older I realize the value of this type of serving more and more. Serving people in this way is to serve God. And, that I’ve learned….actually is my life’s purpose…..serving God. I know that won’t make sense to a lot of people, but there are great many of you who will understand exactly what I mean.
I’m in the last third or so of my life now….and it’s gone by as they say….really, really fast. I don’t want this last phase of my life here on earth to be a time where I’m caught up in only my own shortsighted box. I want to take the blinders off and see the world around me. Really seeeeee it. Know what I mean? I want and believe serving God to be my life’s purpose.
There are so many people who might not see a lot of kindness or a lot of love otherwise. Just think if we could see inside the souls and the pasts of those we come across to know and understand why they are the way they are….it might give us a heart of compassion and the ability to serve them with a little more kindness.
And, I believe there is an extra bonus in serving – big or small. In doing what the Lord would have us do I believe we will find deep, unexpected joy.
So I consider this year’s word to “serve” to be a great privilege and a great adventure. I want to seek and find ways daily to do just that.
Small ways, big ways….whatever ways the Lord lays out before me I think my 2018 Word of the Year is a good word to focus on in a year where there is so much chaos, strife and division.
What about you? Got a word you’d like to focus on?
Happy Life….By Design!