Gustav, Ike left trails marked with opportunities to serve others

Lafourche Parish shows signs of slow return to normalcy
September 16, 2008
Southdown Plantation House/The Terrebonne Museum (Houma)
September 18, 2008
Lafourche Parish shows signs of slow return to normalcy
September 16, 2008
Southdown Plantation House/The Terrebonne Museum (Houma)
September 18, 2008

Natural disasters, like Hurricane Gustav, bring out the best and worst in people.

We witnessed the generosity of many people who took in evacuees during the storm. We also saw people on television complain because the food they received was not hot. We have seen people take advantage of others when they were in need.


We cannot change other people but we can change ourselves. St. Paul tells us that if we want to be lovable, then we need to love, expecting nothing in return. If we expect equal love in return, then that is not love. That is business.


The Christian life consists in unequal exchanges, like loving your enemy, and praying for those who persecute you or by loving someone who does not deserve it. That is the sort of love that god wants.

Author Max Lucado has a great meditation on serving one another. He says, “Jesus set aside the privilege of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human. Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death and the worst kind of death at that: a crucifixion. (Phillipians 2:7)


“Let’s follow his example. Let’s put on the apron of humility to serve one another. Jesus entered the world to serve. Servanthood requires no unique skill or seminary degree. Despite your strengths, training or church tenure, you can love the overlooked. Jesus sits in your classroom, wearing the thick glasses, outdated clothing and a sad face. You’ve seen him. He is Jesus.

“Jesus works in your office. Pregnant again, she shows up to work late and tired. No one knows the father. You’ve seen her. She’s Jesus. When you talk to the lonely student or befriend the weary mom, you love Jesus. He dresses in the garb of the overlooked and ignored. Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, you did it to me (Matthew 25:40). You can do that.

“Even if your sweet spot has nothing to do with encouraging others, the cure for the common life involved looking after the overlooked. You can also wave a white flag. We fight so much. Where do you think all these appalling wars and quarrels come from? Do you think they just happen? Think Again. They come about because you want your own way, and fight for it deep inside yourselves (James 4:1). Serve someone by swallowing your pride.

“Another aspect of servanthood is doing something you don’t want to do. Pick up someone else’s trash. Surrender your parking place. Call the long-winded relative. Carry the cooler. Doesn’t have to be a big thing. Helen Keller once told the Tennessee legislature that when she was young, she had longed to do great things and could not, so she decided to do small things in a great way. Don’t be too big to do someone small.

“Throw yourselves into the work of the Master, confident that nothing you do for him is a waste of time or effort (1 Corrinthians 15:58). A good action not only brings good fortune, it brings God’s attention. God notices the actions of servants. He sent his Son to be one. When you and I crest Mount Zion and hear the applause of saints, we’ll realize this: hands pushed us up the mountain too. The pierced hands of Jesus Christ, the greatest servant who ever lived.”

During this hurricane cleanup time, keep your eyes open to see how you can serve your neighbor.