One Friday night, as I was getting ready for bed, I looked outside and realized I would be spending Saturday morning shoveling snow from the church sidewalks—again. That made four days that week and three days in a row.
I set out a reminder for myself in the morning, knowing what my temperament would be. The first thing I said that morning was, “Do I really have to get up to shovel snow?” Then I saw my towel. It was a Go Now towel from a couple of years prior that said, “Sent to Serve.”
It reminded me even Jesus said that he was sent to this earth to serve, not be served (Matthew 20:28). I didn’t come to Montana to have a lot of fun. I came to serve this community and this church. I needed that reminder.
As I shoveled the snow, two things happened. First, the sun finally started to come up through the clouds. That meant—I hoped—that the sidewalks would not ice up that day, which would be awesome! Then, it started gently snowing. Again.
Needless to say, my prayer was not: “God, please let it snow so I can shovel this snow again before church tomorrow!” But I will still shovel that snow every day that is necessary. Because “whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31) Even if it mean shoveling snow in Montana, I am sent to serve.
Justin Langford, a graduate of West Texas A&M, is serving this semester with Go Now Missions in campus ministry in Butte, Montana.
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