Encouraging the Servant's Heart, Volunteering, and Christian Service

The Watering Place: Come and be Filled with Encouragement for Homeschooling.

Homeschooling Encouragement Article by Wynne and Harriet Yoder

The main reason to encourage your children to have the heart of a servant is found in Matthew 20:28. It says, "just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."  Though He could have claimed His kingship, He chose to be the servant and to give up His life. Likewise, we are called to be servants and to give up our lives--that to lay down our desires and plans and take up the Lord's. As always, when you follow scripture, there are costs and benefits.

Encouraging the Servant's Heart in Your Children

Here are the hows and whys of encouraging the servant's heart in your children.

Encourage children to help others by volunteering.

Volunteering encourages them to develop a "servant's heart".

A benefit is that teens who volunteer have an easier time of finding their first job because they have "experience" and good references.

Find volunteer opportunities outside of your church, homeschool, friends group--go to the "marketplace". It's harder, but it opens doors to sharing the gospel. It is also a way to gently expose your somewhat sheltered children to the world.

Ways to Reach Out to Others

Volunteering at the local hospital or nursing home. If the child is younger, it will help to talk to those in charge. Perhaps offer to accompany them the first few times until the staff is comfortable.

Helping mothers by playing with their children. Pre-teens can do this while the mother is at home doing a task that is difficult to do while watching babies. This supervised babysitting experience can lead to references for paid babysitting jobs!

Fund raising for missionaries or missions trips. Watch your church bulletin or newspaper for opportunities to help other groups.

Making meals for the sick.

Offering house cleaning to someone who needs help

Mow the lawn, take out the trash, or perform similar chores for someone who is not able, etc.

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