I had just landed in O’Hare International Airport in  Chicago as an 17 year old teenager. It was my first day in the U.S. I knew I was to continue on to Indianapolis, but did not know the next step to take. And so I called a taxi asking the driver to embark with me, on the 3.5 hour journey to Indianapolis. This driver had the opportunity to make a lot of money off my naivety. Instead, he advised me to take a bus instead for a fraction of the cost – he served me.

I was Served

My third semester in University, my grades dipped. I struggled because I had just begun working full time, and I started dating someone who was leading me away from the Lord. A Career Service adviser pulled me aside, she said “Uche, if you will only attend your classes, you will  get a C. If you add to that, completing your assignments on time, that’s a B – and then if you will read, you will come out with an A”. I took her advise, God ended my toxic relationship, and my grades began to climb – she served me.

You Were Served

Kevin Good, a friend of mine, upon graduation, decided to visit Nigeria with me and impart on high school (secondary school) students, the things we learned while in University. Our goal was to encourage students to pursue their goals, and exemplify graduation – that if we could do it, they could do it too. Kevin spoke of how we all have been served by our parents, teachers, friends etc. As we visited school after school, we could see hope light up in the eyes of the children. Many told us they felt they could make good of their lives – they were served.

Serve it Forward

Life is about service. Jesus Christ came to earth not to be served but to serve. He served those he healed, He served those He fed, He served those He preached to. He served humanity by laying down His own life so that we today, can live and serve. We have been served in more ways than one. Let us pay this forward by giving service to the living. You are educated to serve. You are gifted to serve. You are anointed to serve. You have breath to serve. You have energy to serve. Let us serve then, for in serving, we achieve the greatest euphoria known to the mankind.

 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto , but to minister , and to give his life a ransom for many. – Matthew 20:28