This week at work, I took a close look at what I actually accomplished in serving others. My personal goal has always been to be able to serve others without making it a task.  It should be something that comes natural and part of my daily routine.  It is so easy to get absorbed in “self” and what we want to accomplish.  This week I’d like to focus on 5 ways to serve others which are a little out of the ordinary that we may not have thought about when it comes to serving.

1.  “Be A Friend to Someone Who Doesn’t Deserve It”.  We know who these people are at work.  What we don’t know is what is going on in their lives.  Maybe they’ve made some wrong choices and need someone to help them get on the right track.  Reach out to them because you know that nobody else probably will.
2.  “Put Away Your Cell Phone in Conversation”.  We are all guilty of having the cell phone right on our desk when we visit with people.  Even if we don’t answer it, if it rings, beeps, or vibrates, we take our attention off the conversation even if it is brief.  Make it a point to tell them you need to turn off your phone because their conversation is important to you.
3. “Allow Others to Speak Before You”.  In a meeting you have scheduled, start by asking everyone to share their thoughts and ideas before you speak.  Let them know you want to hear what they are thinking, listen intently and take notes.  I truly believe taking notes when others are speaking shows a great deal of respect and in turn, they understand how important they are to the conversation.
4. “Buy Someone Lunch”.  Take a day in the next week to look for someone at work that you can take to lunch.  Not the same people you go with on a regular basis, but someone out of your comfort zone.  Who at work looks like they are struggling?  Who always eats in the cafeteria or break room and you know probably can’t afford to eat out?  Find that person and just invite them to have lunch with you.
5. “Hand Write a Thank You Card”.  One of my favorite things to do at work on a regular basis is to recognize someone through a card or note.  It can be recognition for anything as long as it is genuine.  “Congratulations on winning that award, Good Job on the presentation yesterday, I was really impressed with the way you handled that situation, I’m really proud of you for earning that promotion”.

A few weeks ago, one of my fellow co-workers experienced some unexpected major health issues and ended up needing open heart surgery.  It was a shock to everyone at the office as it happened so quick.  In the break room getting coffee the next morning, I heard several people talking about what they should do for him.  Does the family need any help?  Do you think he wants any visitors?  I listened throughout the day to many people asking me questions regarding how he was doing, and was he recovering ok.  The next morning, not as much talk as everyone went about their daily routine and every now and then someone would mention him, but he sure wasn’t the point of conversation today.  Everyone had moved on with their busy lives.

I struggled as well with what to do for those two days.  Heart surgery is a big deal and I didn’t know how I could help him or his family.  The third morning I drove to the hospital and went straight to his room.   He looked up and gave me a smile.   I went over to his bedside and said, “I didn’t know if you needed anything, but I thought I’d drop by and just check on you”.  He was so appreciative and said nobody but his family had been to visit.  He didn’t have the strength to say much and so I just sat in a chair in his room while he dozed in and out for about 45 minutes.

His wife came in, informed me that she had been running a few errands for the kids, and had to leave him alone for a little while.  She didn’t know who she could call to come sit with him since everyone was so busy.  I informed her that I was always available, just to call.  Her words that followed really made me appreciate the time I took out of my day to come see him, “Thanks so much, I didn’t want to interrupt anyone’s day and just didn’t know who to reach out to”.  She called me two more times over the next few days and asked  if I could do small errands for her which I was more than happy to do.

The point is….Don’t ever underestimate the power of just showing up when someone is in need.    During those times, people don’t always think clearly so sometimes you just need to show them you are there for them.  Often they won’t ask for help, but they really need it. This is especially true at work!

It is amazing to see people around the office that will step up and serve when the time calls for it.  We all have talents and gifts that can be used in powerful ways if we will just decide that serving is a priority and open our eyes to the opportunities that present themselves all over the workplace.  These opportunities can come from all kinds of directions.  Let me share a story with you about someone I work with who was a real inspiration to me in this way.

We all remember the tornado that went through Joplin, MO last year as if it were yesterday.  It was one of those moments in life you will always remember what you were doing when you heard about the devastation so close to home.  The next day at the office, so many people were asking, “what can we do”?  Several wanted to immediately drive to Joplin to help with the recovery effort, yet nobody was really sure how to get started or what to do.  After listening quietly to all the concern throughout the day, one of our associates, John, asked if he could talk to me in my office.  John lives in Monett, MO, very close to Joplin, and had served as a Missouri State Trooper in a previous career.  In a very short amount of time, John showed me a plan he had put on paper of how many volunteers we would need around the clock to feed emergency workers in downtown Joplin.  The plan included supplies, location, emergency phone numbers, vehicles, and everything else that would have us serving food within a couple of hours.  Once the plan was in place, the volunteers were assembled and a schedule was put together allowing us to serve food in Joplin for the next two weeks.

What started as concern and a lot of uncertainty, quickly turned into action when one person stepped up with a plan.  Over the next two weeks, our entire office staff had taken time out of their schedule to serve emergency workers in Joplin.

Many times in our day-to-day routine, it just takes someone to step up and provide the leadership necessary to make something happen.  So many people around you want to help serve others, yet they don’t know where to start.  As you start to respond to these opportunities, your co-workers will be inspired by the example you set and serving others can become a common part of your workplace experience.

A few weeks ago, my brother was driving back from the airport, when he had a blowout on his new car.  The front passenger tire was flat and he pulled off into an empty parking lot as the light of day was slipping away.  He had been out on a business trip the entire week and was tired and ready to get home and relax.  “Could the flat tire have come at a worst time”?

As he opened the trunk to retrieve the spare tire and jack, a beat up old truck pulled in behind with their headlights shining on his car.  The driver door opens and a man in overalls gets out and walks up to him.  Dark parking lot, flat tire, man in a beat up old truck….you can imagine the thoughts and feelings going through his mind. “My 16 year old son is in the truck and would like to change your tire for you”.  My brother immediately asked “Why”?  The man responds, “My son is a boy scout and enjoys helping others”.  Although it sounded very strange, he let the boy change the tire while he stood back and watched.  When he was done, he tried to offer the boy and his father money for their trouble, but they both politely declined. They drove away and my brother was able to go home.

I remember my brother stating nothing like this had ever happened to him before and he was amazed someone “just wanted to help”.  He has now looked for opportunities to serve others since someone was willing to serve him.

There is no end to the opportunities that you will find around you at work to reach out and serve someone.  Yes, at times is will be inconvenient and might detract you from your  agenda, but you will  find that somehow you still get everything done.   God has a way of honoring the time you spend serving others.

Serving others is contagious!  Once you start, it’s difficult to stop.  Start today – a simple spark can turn into a big fire.

Workmatters first pillar of faith at work is Relationship…abiding with God at work.  Everything starts there doesn’t it?

Last week we discussed the pillar Influence.  One of the keys to how we influence others is to choose to let God influence us first.  We need to lean into our Relationship with Him.  But how do we do that at work, specifically if we are faced with a challenging situation and we are just not sure what to do?

Listening to Andy Stanley the other day gave me some insight.  He said following the crowd may be easy, but their noise may filter the reality or voice of God.  Instead, he said to seek God’s influence or to hear God speaking to us, we should listen to our most trusted advisors.  Each of us have a small group of people we are plugged into for advice.  If they are aligned with God, we can Trust we will be influenced by the right voices and their light can help guide us to make the right decision.

The Message version of Proverbs 16:13 says… Good leaders cultivate honest speech; they love advisors who tell them the truth.

Their influence matters.

Our workplaces are rampant with opportunities for forgiveness.  Who has not been wronged in one way or another at work?  Are you still holding on to it and refusing to forgive?  A buddy at work told me more than once that “Forgiveness is liberating.” and he was so right.  Please don’t start this new year holding something against someone at work.  I don’t have to think longer than a couple of seconds about mistakes I have made that needed someone else’s forgiveness.  I know this can be very hard, but we must forgive each other,without limits, as our Father has forgiven us, especially those who are our brother and sisters in Christ.  There is tremendous joy for those who continuously offer forgiveness, who recall what unlimited mercy has been poured out on us through Jesus Christ and who show the same mercy toward others.

Before you pray today, spend some time thinking about who do you need to forgive at work.  Don’t let this year start chained in the dark dungeon of bitterness and miss the blessing of joy when you have truly forgiven.  Let it go!

We have some amazing young people with a deep and authentic passion for letting their light shine in the marketplace.  This is a group of dedicated young men and women who are investing a great deal of time to lead and launch this new ministry that seems to really be meeting a specific need.  Today, I want you to hear about ENGAGE! from the people that are making this happen.  The ENGAGE! Leadership Team put together a video that will hopefully inspire you.  Just click on the link below and you’ll see what I mean.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yXKjFVwx3Y&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL

Please pray for the ENGAGE! Leadership Team and for God to bless their efforts for the Kingdom in a powerful way in 2011!

Blessings!

Consider these words of the apostle Paul from his first letter to Timothy:

“I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people.  Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them.  Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.  This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.  For their is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Jesus Christ.  He gave his life  to purchase freedom for everyone.  This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time.  And I have been chosen as a preacher and apostle to teach the Gentiles this message about faith and truth.  I’m not exaggerating—just telling the truth.

And in every place of worship, I want men to pray with holy hands lifted up to God, free from anger and controversy.”  (I Tim 2: 1-8)

The NKJV translation of verse 8 reads ” I desire therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.”

As you read this over, think about it in the context of your workplace. Think about how our work life would be transformed if all believers began to intentionally pray for our work using the message from Paul above as a guide.

As you think about your plans for  2011, consider the teaching of Paul when he instructs Timothy that the first thing he wants him to do is pray.

Have a blessed day!

Philip Yancey writes that this familiar verse in Psalms contains two commands of equal importance.  ”First, I must be still, something that modern life conspires against.  Ten years ago I responded to letter within a couple of weeks and kept my correspondents happy.  Five years ago I faxed a response in a couple of days and they seemed content.  Now they want email responses the same day and berate me for not using instant messaging or a mobile phone.  Mystery of another world, an emphasis on being rather than doing, even a few moments of quiet do not come naturally to me in this hectic, buzzing world.  I must carve out time to allow God to nourish my inner life.”

When a journalist asked Thomas Merton to diagnose the leading spiritual disease of our time, the monk gave a curious one word answer: efficiency.  Why? “From the monastery to the Pentagon, the plant has to run….and there is little time or energy left over after that to do anything else.”

I am guessing most of you can relate.  The amount of stuff we feel that we have to get done seems endless.  More often than not, it seems that we just keep taking on more and more.  We feel we must continually do more and do it faster.   The thought of doing less sounds good, but usually is quickly discarded with a “yeah, right” kind of attitude.  It seems that activity, busyness and constant action in both our work life and home life is what is applauded.  We all constantly complain about how busy we are, but I think we secretly want others to praise us for it.

What gets squeezed out in this kind lifestyle?  Time with your kids? Time with God? Time to rest? Time to think? All of the above?

As you plan and prepare for next year, pray over the verse above and ask God to show you what you can do to have more balance in your life and how you can say NO to something that will allow you to be more of a “human being” instead of a “human doing.

As this new week begins, I know many of you are will be going back to work after a busy holiday weekend.  I hope that everyone had a fantastic time and were able to spend time with family and celebrating the birth of our Savior.  It has been non-stop for our family and now that everyone is beginning to make their way home, I am looking forward to some serious quiet time this week.

David and I have often talked about the value of this week between Christmas and New Years.  As far back as I can remember, this week has usually been a vacation week for my family.  Our parents have always lived far away from us, so normally we were traveling.  I have always enjoyed the opportunity to get up early, make my hot cup of coffee and spend time alone with the Lord praying and thinking about the upcoming year.  This week has provided many moments of clarity and inspiration as I spent some long, uninterrupted time with the Lord very early in the morning.

I hope as this week begins, you will find extended periods of alone time to pray, plan, journal or spend time in the Word.  As this year draws to a close, it will be helpful to reflect on how God has moved in your life over this past year. Write down the blessings and challenges of this past year and as you write, you will find how God has impacted your life.  Pray those blessings back to God as praise and worship!

As often as possible Jesus withdrew to out-of-the-way places for prayer. Luke 5:16 (The Message)

Blessings!

Sam