He profits most who serves best.   Arthur Sheldon

It was the second time that I had seen the boys. Zack and Trevor had the day off from school and were driving around town in their golf cart. Both times I was at the house of some of our widow ladies and both times they asked if I knew of any work that they could be doing.

I had to smile, because when I was their age (about 12 or 13) I was always looking for ways to make some extra spending money. The second time they caught up to me, I was just finishing putting some boards around an air conditioning unit. It was pretty much a one person job so, when they asked if they could help, I told them that I thought I had it. Then, I just casually asked if they were out trying to make some money. It was their answer that both surprised and delighted me, and that I wanted to write about today. "No", one of them said, "not really. We have just been going around to all of the old ladies' houses in town to see if they could use some help."

Now, that's impressive!

The boys, I later found out, had indeed been going around town to all the houses of our "old ladies" (with apologies to these sweet women), not to make money, but to see if they could ease their burdens. One of our widows later called to let me know that these two boys had been by and had taken her trash out. Since she had just got out of the hospital, it was a great help. More importantly, it was a great lesson.

Sometimes we parents forget just how neat our children are. We are quick to see all of their petty shortcomings and irritating habits. But, we often forget that they are learning many of the lessons that we can only dream that they will learn. So, when we see in them a desire to help - not for money or praise, but just for the sake of helping someone who truly needs a hand, we realize that we are seeing something quite profound: We are witnessing something that is no less than greatness... in the heart of a young servant.

On the way they had argued about who was the greatest. Sitting down, Jesus called the twelve and said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all."   Mark 9:34-35, NIV

Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 18:4, NIV