What a pleasure to hear devotional thoughts from Rebekah Hawk this week! You may learn more about her on our contributers page.
I know many people would rather work in an office than wait tables at a restaurant, but that is where I find myself in the minority. You see, I put myself through college by working for my alma mater (in an office, of all things!) during the school semesters, and during summer and Christmas breaks, I waitressed at a local barbecue dig in Kansas City.
I loved waiting tables! I loved finding out what the patrons needed and meeting those needs. I liked making sure everyone was taken care of and having a good time. If a customer was being surly, I made it my mission to sweeten his or her mood with kindness and extra attention. Plus, the food was amazing.
Meeting people’s needs has always been a core part of my life. Because I was the oldest of six children, I naturally fell into a role of Mom’s assistant and enjoyed the feelings of being important and needed—an essential employee, if you will. Putting my faith in Christ at a young age only intensified my drive to serve others and made meeting others’ needs a huge priority in my life. What I did not anticipate as I grew older and was presented with many more opportunities to serve others, is that Satan would use my good intentions against me.
That jerk tempts me to chase those feelings of being important and needed to the point that, if left unchecked, would result in a savior complex. If I am not careful, in the twinkling of an eye, I can see myself meeting a need, bringing that encouragement, and saving the day! But people do not need me to save them. They need Jesus, the True Savior.
The worst part about being a chronic fixer is that I have often overcommitted myself to help someone else, without stopping to consider the effect it might have on my family. Is it good for my children to see their mother serving others? Of course! Is it good and right for them to serve alongside me? Absolutely. But I need to have discernment about when God is calling me to serve and when He is asking me to trust Him to provide for the need another way. Praise God! He has given us all a very precious promise in His Word: if I ask Him for wisdom, He will give it to me!
The Lord has been teaching me to stop and pray whenever a need arises. Then, I ask for wisdom: “Lord, is this a need You would have me meet?” I think through the logistics and my practical ability to meet the need, and I ask the Lord if the inconvenience (if there is one!) is something He wants our family to bear. I ask Him to check my motives while I check with my husband. How sweet it is to trust that God will meet His people’s needs through the people He chooses!
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