How To Serve Others With Your Time

Recently, I’ve found myself thinking about myself more, fussing over every little detail, and trying to improve my life.

Until it hit me.

I was neglecting my family in the process. My cats--my sibling--my responsibilities (not saying my responsibilities are a part of my family, XD).

I had gotten so caught up in serving myself, rather than serving my family.

And once that hit me, it stung. Like really.

But sometimes, it’s hard to serve others with your time, your life, even your money. Sometimes the focus is on getting that good grade, finishing that essay, making it through the day.

But after the realization hit me, I realized something needed to change.

Relationships and memories take time.

For all those who hate time-wasting and love being productive like me, this can be a hard pill to swallow. I experienced it firsthand.

Just think about it. Money can’t buy happiness. You can have a mansion in the middle of nowhere and be missing something. Or rather, someone. Maybe multiple someones.

As humans, we all crave relationships. After all, when God first created Adam, He said, “it is not good for the man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18). That was why Eve was created.

Human (or animal!) relationships are a gift from God (provided they are healthy, of course. ;)) Yes, even I, as an extreme introvert, have trouble with this realization at times. But it’s a fact.

This reminds me of a character I created for my dystopian novella, Caged Lights. Her name was Asterope, and she dwelled alone in a house of solitude.

Day and night, she watched the people pass by her window. She never took them into her heart because she didn’t want a burden, didn’t want to worry or care if they lived or died, living in a time when relationships and society were very risky.

And she slowly drifted away from reality. She went from not wanting to care about others to not caring about her life either.

Our worlds simply cannot be like that. God didn’t create people to live in holes.

Anyway, back to the subject. Building relationships and friendships take time. Sometimes that means setting aside priorities and sacrificing your time to build memories that will last a lifetime, sometimes even more than a lifetime. After all, there’s a sacrifice in every relationship worth having. But in most cases, it’s 100% worth it.

Cultivate a servanthood mindset.

In the Bible, God instructs us to be servants to one another for Him. It doesn’t have to be fancy, but not only will desiring to serve others build friendships along the way, it will also make us grow in God’s will and lift one another up in Christ.

Serving others doesn’t have to be big or showy. It doesn’t have to be taking on more than you can handle. It can be as simple as praying for someone you know or doing an extra chore for a relative. Little actions go a long way.

I do have to admit, this mindset of serving others instead of myself was hard to hammer into my head, after being continually in the process of improving my life, my schedule, my school year.

Serving others not only benefits them, but you as well.

Selflessness is a great thing to cultivate. It not only strengthens us and our faith, but builds steadfast connections along the way. And who knows? Maybe by looking out for someone else, you’ll create friendships, relationships, and memories that will last a lifetime.

So this week, I challenge you to try looking for opportunities to serve others instead of yourself. After trying it for one week, leave a comment below on how it went. I’d love to hear your thoughts!