The Joy of Putting Others First-Part 1

I was recently asked to speak at a Ladies’ Day for a local congregation about the joy of putting others first. My first reaction was shock, and inadequacy, as I felt too young to qualify to speak to other women about the subject. What could I possibly that would be of any worth to say to them?

Several people pointed out to me however, that I put people first every day of my life. That is funny, because  I never really think of it as putting others first while I am living it, I just see it as my life as a homeschooling mother of six children.

As much as my nerves told me to say no to the Ladies’ Day, my heart said it was the right thing. I asked people who know me well what they thought, and none of them said it was something I shouldn’t do, they instead encouraged me. My sister-in-law made for the final push, when I shared how out of my comfort zone this whole thing was, she insisted that we won’t get to heaven while in our comfort zone.

I accepted that evening.

I decided that since I am comfortable with the blog world, that I would write my talk as a blog post-manuscript style, and since I was going to write it, I may as well share it here on my blog. I hope it is of an encouragement to you in some way.

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The Joy of Putting Others First

The Bible teaches that as a mother, I have certain responsibilities to my family. We read in Deuteronomy 11, verses 18-19-

“You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.”

We are to teach them the Word.

Serving others is another important thing to instill in our children. If they see us serve others with joy, and if we allow them to take part of doing for others they will never know what it is like to live selfishly. Giving will become second nature to them.

Take a look at the Proverbs 31 wife. She doesn’t seem to have a spare moment in the day to herself, she is responsible for much, and she must also take care of her home and family. We read in Proverbs 31:27-28-

“She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.”

But we also see in verse 20-

“She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy.”

With all that she has on her plate, and all we have on ours, you may be asking-how can I put someone else before myself?

Know your season of life.

Newly married women, or women with older children can usually do more outside of her home than a mother with children of a younger age. Motherhood is a ministry! When you are raising your family, putting others first is (or should be) automatic. We read in the book of Proverbs-

“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”

Proverbs 22:6

Training takes a lot of time, work and energy, it is our first area of ministry. These children have been loaned to us by God, and we must give them all of the time we can, to teach them not only their ABC’s and 123’s, but of our loving God, and how He sent His Son to be a way for us to be with Him. We must teach them the Scriptures so they have knowledge, and the ability to know when they hear false teaching.

As much work as training our children is, we cannot limit ourselves to our home only. Even with a full family schedule you can serve others.

Women with a little more flexibility can make more frequent visits to the hospital, nursing home, and shut-ins. They may even offer to watch children for a mom who needs a date with her husband, or would like to visit a sick member. Like allowing a busy mom of six to have a birthday date with her hubby…ahem.

Tomorrow, we’ll look at practical ways to serve others, with joy.