Service to Others

A good friend of mine, and brother in Christ, was a big help to me during the 2013 hunting season — he has a GREAT hunting spot less than five minutes from our homes.  He invited me to come along a few times to put out corn and trim some shooting lanes.  These times in the woods were so valuable for me because they helped me deal with my mom’s losing battle with cancer.  My friend did not attempt to offer wisdom.  He simply got me out of the house and spent time with his friend.  He was using his relationship to offer encouragement - just as a brother in Christ should be doing.

During that off-season preparation, we found another super spot on the same property.  We worked that area hard and placed a new stand that only we knew about.  Needless to say, it yielded big time for us that season and our freezers were filled.  For me, it was the most productive hunting season in a long, long time -- and I am not just referencing the meat in the freezer.  God used this other hunter, who was surrendered to Him, to positively influence my walk with Jesus Christ.

He shot all of his deer early in the season and mine were scattered throughout the year.  On December 14, 2013, I was sitting in a stand on that property and saw movement at sunrise.  It was running hard to the road, so I paid no attention to it — that is until a car started up the road.  That car slammed on its brakes, honked its horn, and I heard someone yelling.  The movement that was headed toward the road turned back toward me.  It was at that point that I noticed it was a big bodied buck.  Having no time to do anything else but react, I flipped the safety off the Weatherby .270 and “BOOM.”  The deer jumped awkwardly and disappeared into the woods.

My buddy sent me a text and asked if I hit the deer -- you see, I was sitting in HIS stand while he was sitting in that new spot we set up.  Not knowing if that deer may be circling back his way deep in the woods, he sat still while I eased down to walk that field to spot a blood trail.  After a few minutes, I found one, tiny drop of blood.  After going deeper into the woods, I discovered much more of a trail and knew where this deer was headed — down into the think mess around that creek bottom.  My friend joined me, and the tracking began in earnest.  We found that buck on the other side of the creek and had to drag him uphill, through some of the peskiest thorns I’ve ever seen, and emerged in another field.  We had to go back down through that mess, into the creek bottom, up the other side, grab our gear, hike to the truck, and head to the other field for a rather long drag.

My buddy exhibited servant leadership as he gave up his time to get me in the woods to heal.  He prayed for me during the tough loss of my mom. He led a small group Bible study that touched our family and that of others.  He shared his great hunting spot with me.  He spent time working up a new area to hunt.  He spent time texting back and forth favorite Bible verses that we would contemplate together while in the woods.  All of that is to say that this individual selflessly served Jesus Christ for the benefit of another man.  He lived up to what God said in Proverbs 17:17 -- "A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity." 

What he did not know is that I was about to return the favor - something I had wanted to do for quite some time.  I had prayed all week that anything I was able to tag that week would be given to him and his family.  This deer was the biggest deer that I shot all season long.  I honored that promise, and you should have seen my friend’s face when I told him that was his deer.  For all that he had done for me, a deer was the least that I could do. 

So what does this have to do with anything?  Our influence for Christ is greatest when we give of ourselves expecting nothing in return.  Always adopt the viewpoint that we are here to serve not to be served because that is exactly how Jesus lived His life.  If you do so, you will have the opportunity to change the world one relationship at a time.