Modeling a Lifestyle of Service

A few days ago, I was talking with a friend of mine about how each of us come from from families which modeled servanthood. It's not something extra that we had to be taught, but from our earliest memories, our parents instilled in us the value of serving others. In keeping with the theme of my recent blog posts about how to be missional in our communities, let me share some of the ways my parents modeled and taught a lifestyle of service to others.

My parents’ modeling of servanthood began within our family. Every week of every summer, we would go as a family to my grandma’s house so my dad could mow the lawn while Mom helped with household chores. In the winter, often between working two jobs, Dad would shovel my grandma’s driveway and sidewalks. Throughout the year, my parents would get my grandma’s groceries at the store and deliver them to her. These acts of servanthood allowed my grandma to live independently even though she couldn't tend to everything.

Their servanthood continued in our neighborhood. I remember times in elementary school when my mom would meet me as I got off the school bus, and we would deliver the mail to our elderly neighbor who couldn't walk to her mailbox. For many years, my mom drove another neighbor to the store each week for their weekly grocery shopping trip. When I was in high school, my mom started watching another neighbor’s two kids every weekday morning between the time the neighbor left for work and when the school bus came.

Their servanthood was also modeled in our church and community. As a young child, I remember spending many summer days playing outside a community nursing home, as my parents were part of a team that cooked grilled hamburgers and hot dogs to serve to the residents there. I also saw my parents involved in ministry in our church, whether teaching children’s Sunday school and children’s church, or driving the church van to bring inner-city kids and homebound senior adults to church on Sundays.


Each of us must be aware of how our lives affect those around us. Children are shaped according to the values taught to them by their parents and other influential adults. These values become part of the child’s lifelong habits. My parents taught me to care for others through real-life examples of servanthood.