Many knitters serve others on a regular basis. People knit
sweaters for orphans, blankets for babies going to foster care, helmet liners
for soldiers, ditty bags for merchant mariners and prayer shawls for those in
distress. The list goes on and on. Whether we are knitting for strangers and
friends, we are often providing loving help and care.
In serving we emulate Christ, who washed the feet of His
disciples, fed the multitudes and healed the sick. He was not above doing the
tasks of lowly servants and neither should we be. In every area of our lives we
have chances to act as servants to others. We should recognize these
opportunities as chances to serve Jesus. It is good to look for Christ in the
people we help.
Remember the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10? Two people
who should have known better passed an injured man by. The third, a political
enemy, stopped to help. He acted as a servant. Jesus held this fictional man up
as an example of what a neighbor should do. “Go and do likewise,” he said. And
so we should, with our knitting and with all our lives.
Lord Jesus, help us to serve others, knowing that in doing so
we really serve you. In your precious name, Amen.
Jesus
called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord
it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so
with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your
servant, and
whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man
did not
come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
~Matthew 20: 25-28
You,
my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to
indulge the flesh rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is
fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
~
Galatans 5: 13-14
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I am writing a knitters' devotional book and would love constructive criticism and feedback on content, grammar, etc. Thanks!
There have been a couple of handmade things that I have been given in the last year that I truly appreciate. I know there is a lot of love in them. No one would spend their energies doing something like that, unless there was a lot of love. It is a gift that is greater than the gift itself.
ReplyDeleteYes, the gifts of time and care are precious,
DeleteMy grandmother knits these little dolls to send to children in war-torn countries through a group her Church runs, and even though I think they're a little creepy looking, having seen how excited my own little boy gets when he plays with his I can now appreciate how much joy it must bring these kids to have a toy to call their own too.
ReplyDeleteThat is a wonderful service project! Thanks for stopping by.
Delete