Service

Disney Dream

I had the pleasure of taking a 4 day cruise on the Disney Dream.  (Photos here!)  I went with the gspn.tv Community.  We had been planning for 2 years and the Lord allowed me to put money back from my Aunt’s estate to save for it.  This was my first cruise.  I was so excited to go and meet gspn.tv Community members that I have talked with online but never met in person.

GSPN cruisers

Ravenscraft Family

This was especially the case with the Ravenscraft Family (who run the podcast network the community is build around).  A couple from the community that traveled with us were the Crane’s.

Randy Crane

Randy was our Disney expert and our Travel Agent.  He did an OUTSTANDING job and I highly recommend him if you are ever traveling (Disney or not).  You can find him at the following link:  http://http://randyc-mouseearvacations.com/

It has been a LONG time since I had done anything Disney.  But I knew (from Randy and friends who cruised with Disney to Alaska) that things would be done right and it would be a lot of fun.  Even going as a single person with no kids, I had a great time.  There was so much to do and you just can’t fit it all in on a 4 day cruise.

Here is where the blog entry really starts.  I think this would fit well with Randy’s other passion.  Randy has a passion for coaching people to walk out their heavenly Kingdom identity in Christ.  He has a wonderful blog about it called “Faith and the Magic Kingdom” (check it out).

As the cruise on the Disney Dream came to a close, one of the things that really impressed me was the service.  I didn’t get to know my Room Steward that well, but she did a great job and new my name when she saw me in the halls.

Dog towel animal

I enjoyed her towel animals each night.    Each Cast Member (as Disney calls its’ employees) I interacted with were kind, friendly, helpful and knowledgeable.  They did all they could to assist you and make everything fun.  Just as Disney chose to call its’ employees Cast Members for a reason, they also choose to call us Guests not customers.  That is a mentality shift.  Yes, we are paying for goods and services (and they can be expensive) but they want to take those extra steps to make it outstanding.

For me a prime example of this from the cruise was our dining servers Dorothee and Freja.  With Disney Cruises, your dining staff follow you each night as you progress from restaurant to restaurant.  It is outstanding because they get to know you and make your time special.

Dorothee and Freja

Dorothee and Freja learned our 2 tables were one big group and for the remainder of the cruise we had one big table.  They remembered our drink orders, had stuff out for the kids and much more.  They work very well with people who have food concerns (offering choices and letting you pick meal choices ahead of time).  Plus if you wanted something not on the menu they got it for you.  But they interacted with us, joked with us and just had fun with us.  It seems to me that Dorothee and Freja are examples of service at its’ best.  It is about people, not the particular “act of service.”  Disney hires well and if service is truly your calling, they would be my first choice.

Let’s talk about service.  In the Word of God, service is an undercurrent of life.  We see in Romans 12:1 that we are to “. . .present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.”  The idea is that we are to yield our thoughts, our actions, our entire being to the Lord in worship to Him.  We are also told in 1 Cor. 31 “. . . whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”  So the idea is that our entire being and life is given to God as worship.  Service can be both a spiritual gift and an act of the will.

Service and helps, as it is called in some lists of spiritual gifts, is one of my spiritual gifts.  However, I have greatly benefited from, learned about service and seen it modeled out by people around me.  When we surround ourselves with mentors who possess similar gifts, the Lord teaches and grows us so much!  I’m very blessed because both of my parents modeled out service in the home, community and especially at church.  So much of my heart for service was caught rather than taught.  I saw them walking it out and joined right along.

Family Photo

One example from my life is Christmas Eve.  On Christmas Eve, we celebrate the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ into the world.  We celebrate it because His sacrifice on the cross made us part of the family of God.  We celebrate the Joy of the Savior coming t bring the gift of salvation.  But for me it would not be Christmas without serving.  My Dad ushers, my Mom has served the lovefeast service and for years served a meal to the choir.  I have ushered, served in the lovefeast service, sang in the choir, and helped Mom serve the choir.  I saw Mom & Dad and others serving and longed for the time when I was old enough to help.  Once I started I never stopped, even though I attend church in another town.  This is just one small example of learning to serve from others.

Dick and his family

I have also learned about serving with a heart for people with one of the elders from Antioch (my church).  Dick Orcutt was a deacon in the church for years before he became an elder.  I love being around him because it improves my serve.  I see how he is concerned with the details of things, but not for the sake of the details.  He wants the details to work so that people are served and the Lord is worshiped without distraction.  If we are truly serving with Christ’s heart, we get out-of-the-way and the Lord gets the glory.  I’m still learning, growing and discovering that a true servant anticipates the needs before things are asked for.  Going back to our Disney Dream servers, Dorothee and Freja had our spots set at the table, places set for the kids and our drinks cold and ready.  We have to be concerned with the acts of service, but not get so caught up that we miss the purpose.

In Luke 10:38-42, we read about two sisters.  Both were devoted to serving Jesus.  Both were gifted in serving, had faith, and wanted to make their home a place of rest for the Lord.  However Mary was more adept at not letting the details of service distract from her relationship with the Lord.  I too often live like Martha.  I want to do my best.  I want things to go perfectly.  I want people to be served well.  But I miss the relationship with people and with the Lord.  I’m praying that the Lord would continue to help me choose the good portion and not be so anxious about many things.  Having godly people around me to hold me accountable and who’s example I can follow really helps.

Another challenge with service is leadership.  You have people gifted at service who want no more than to be told where the needs are, so they can go serve.  But if you ask them to lead they may be very uncomfortable.  On the flip side, you have people with vision and leadership, but who are unwilling or uncomfortable in serving.  It takes grace and encouragement being given to both types of people to help both grow in service.  It calls for growth outside comfort zones.  But true service calls for a balance of leadership and giving of self.  Who do we best see this balance modeled out in?  Jesus is the answer.

Jesus taught and lead His disciples.  He taught them, trained them and sent them out.  He had a vision for the church and put things in to place to bring that vision about.  Yet ministered to and served people great and small.  He healed the sick and raised the dead and stripped down and washed His disciples’ feet.

Photo by Resclassic on Flickr

He commanded the wind and the waves and spent time daily to hear from the Father.  He could have commanded legions of angels to rescue him and yet, He obediently served the Father’s will to His death and resurrection.  We are called to live like Christ.  Matthew 20:28 tells us “…the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

So we have learned service demands leadership balanced with giving of self.  It calls for work but not to the point of anxiety but focused on others.  It anticipates needs.  It is one of the spiritual gifts, but can be learned.  But most of all service is one of the ways we can worship the Lord in all we do.

What are your thoughts?  How have you seen service walked out.  Who impressed you with their attitude and effort in serving?  Please comment and share below!