Serving others as self-care? Who'd have thought?
This is Felicia Ferguson with Christian Mix 106, helping you build faith for the journey.
Think about the last time you helped someone out. How did it make you feel? Probably pretty good. Did you know helping or serving others is not only a biblical directive, but science has proven it is an excellent method for self-care?
Research studies have shown volunteering can actually increase life-expectancy. But to get the greatest emotional impact, the type of service and the person’s motivation for volunteering matter. Volunteering in self-oriented events, meaning work that interests you like festivals, animal welfare, political campaigns, church events, will provide a good emotional impact. However, if you want to maximize your self-care through your volunteering activity, choose those that are other-oriented. Serving others out of the goodness of your heart will take the emphasis off of yourself and your own ego. What types of volunteering activities are other oriented? Building houses with Habitat for Humanity. Helping your elderly neighbor carry in her groceries. Reading to kids in an after-school program. Other-oriented service activities are biblical. Think about the Good Samaritan. Jesus washing the disciples’ feet. Peter’s healing of the lame man.
If you need help telling the difference, ask yourself this: am I satisfying my own interests in this activity or directly helping someone in need? There’s no shame in volunteering in activities that interest you. But if you want the action to fill your self-care bank, then prioritize serving others.
New Testament teachings expanded on Jesus’ call to love and serve others. Paul added to that admonishment in his letters to the Galatians and Hebrews. “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another” (Galatians 5:13). Both Jesus and Paul encouraged Christians to pursue serving others as a part of their lives and faith. This pursuit would improve empathy and kindness and be a way for others to recognize us as Christians.
So how do we as modern believers best serve others? In Matthew chapter 20, Jesus gives us a template in his teaching about the judgment of believers. The sheep (or his followers) who fed the hungry, treated strangers with kindness, clothed the naked, cared for the sick, and visited the prisoner would be rewarded. Because as those actions were performed it would be as if the person were attending to Jesus himself.
Serving others with the purest heart and motives will end up serving yourself. So if your self-care bank is empty, look around. Who can you serve today?
This is Felicia Ferguson. Thanks for listening to Christian Mix 106.
