I've been pondering this thread and, like Lynx, in light of the powerful warnings of Matthew 6, I have felt awkward about posting here.
That said, I think that Cris' intent of this thread is to provide others with ideas of how they might serve in His Name and for HIS GLORY.
So, with the intent of God alone being shared and glorified, I offer this list of things God has put on my heart over the years:
Love. Always. Whenever you have a chance.
When God puts someone on your heart, pray, but then give them a call, a card, an email.
LISTEN to people. Especially people others rarely do. It's one of the simplest ways to show someone that they really matter.
Live Christ. People are watching you. It's more important than you realize.
Admit your mistakes, especially to those who don't yet belong to Christ. So many of them believe they have to "get right" on their own before they come to them.
Pray for unbelievers. Send them a card telling them that God loves them if you know they are going through a rough time. You'd be surprised at how many people believe there IS a God, but can't understand that He loves them. It means a lot and God can use it to soften hearts. Planting seed.
If you see someone going through a rough time, give them a Bible that will be understandable to them. Pray over it before you do.
Clean someone's home. Rake someone's leaves. Mow someone's grass.
Check on an elderly neighbor.
Stop by the hospital to visit someone you know or even someone you DON'T know if God leads you there. Ask if they'd be comfortable enough to allow you to pray with them.
Can you sing or play an instrument? Do that. Nursing home are a wonderful place to share Christ in music. It helps establish relationships with the elderly, which opens doors.
If you know someone is a fulltime caregiver to someone who is critically ill, offer to sit with the person to give the caregiver some time off. Read, pray, sing to the person. Or maybe they'd just like a fresh face to talk with.
Are there lonely singles at your church (especially elderly folks)? Get to know something about them, their interests....then pray for them on a regular basis. And, from time to time, especially around the holidays, leave a special anonymous blessing of some sort for them.
Rock a child as often as you can and let them know that Jesus loves them. They can't hear that enough.
Share your home with a child who has no one and nothing. Share your heart with them as well.
Teach or be a Sunday School/kids camp/VBS helper. There are seemingly never enough. The burn out rate is very high.
Clean your church for free.
Can you cook/bake? Help with special events at your church or suggest something. Take something special to those who can't leave home. For those of us who routinely cook too much, sharing with elderly neighbors can be such a blessing, not just to them. You'd be surprised how much you can learn from them.
Anonymously provide food/clothing to struggling families, especially those with small children.
I know we aren't supposed to send money through the mail, but do it anyway. Put it in an unsigned card and mail it to someone God puts on your heart.
This may sound silly to some folks, but help rescue animals. When God gives us dominion over things, we are responsible for their care. Show mercy.
Do you know people who can't drive or don't have a car? Offer to drive them if they ever need you, especially to church, medical appts, to the grocery store, etc. Or just invite them out to lunch.
Give out of your abundance. God blessed you. Share the blessing. Things that are stuffed in the back of cabinets/closets for years bless no one.
Do you know someone who is dying? You'd be surprised how many people avoid them, even loved ones. Hold a hand. No one should die alone if it can be helped.
ENCOURAGE your Pastor and pray for him.
PRAY for the leaders of your nation and community.
Do all you can to shut down negativity and gossip within your church/the family of God.
Be an encourager, not a Pharisee. We are supposed to lift one another up, not criticize one another. A critical spirit dishonors the Lord.
Find out what your gifts are and talk with your church leadership as to how to put them to work.
Run for office or volunteer for godly people who will. We can't be a godly nation without godly leadership.
Be a peacemaker.
Encourage the restoration of relationships.
REMEMBER: Sometimes things you DO NOT DO can have more impact for Christ than things you DO. Ponder that. Let the Holy Spirit explain it to you.
Write a book.
Write a song.
Donate Christian literature to the local library. People complain all the time about the lack of these materials in our libraries. Maybe we should stop hording them in our homes.
Start a prayer chain if your church doesn't have one.
Make sure the sick, those with small children and the elderly have a cellphone. You can buy them a phone and install time on it for less than $100. Then send them a reload card from time to time.
Donate toys and magazines to hospitals.
Donate stuffed animals to local police, firefighters and EMS personal. You'd be surprised the impact they can have on a sick/scared child. While you're there, pray for the emergency workers. They need it more than you could imagine.
I guess that's a pretty good start. I just got home from work a bit ago and I'm tired, so I'm gonna stop typing now.
Be a blessing!
