“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’
–Matthew 25:40 (NLT)

When I was 14 years old, I got a chance to work with a few other students in a nursing home over the summer. At first, I didn’t really expect to enjoy my new job. Summer was my time to relax and unwind, a reward for surviving another school year. Working with elderly people four days a week didn’t seem to fit in with my summer plans. However, after a few weeks I really grew to love my temporary job. In the mornings I helped the other students clean the outdoor patio, and I played piano for the residents.

During the afternoon we would engage in several activities with the patients including visiting, dancing and playing cards. I really came to love talking with the residents and bringing some music and happiness into their lives. I was truly sad when the other students and I finished our summer job, which lasted about 2 months.

Looking back now, I realize one of my favorite things about that nursing-home job was my time with the residents. Timothy and I are currently working at a nursing center here in Arizona, and we really enjoy our work just as much as I did at fourteen. We love putting on our monthly church service for the residents, and visiting patients’ rooms to bring God’s love into their lives.

In our opening scripture, Jesus encourages us to serve others as much as possible. He states that in order to enter into the kingdom of heaven, we are called to help out other people, instead of spending all our energy upon ourselves. We may not always feel like giving our time and effort to others, but I hope you will remember this: Jesus also says that whenever we help someone else, we are giving our services to Christ as well.

So I encourage you to find a way to reach out to others in your own backyard, or somewhere in the world. Help out at your church or school, or you could visit hospital or nursing-home patients. Maybe your neighbors would like a little help, or perhaps just some friendly company.

Whatever you do, remember you’re serving God whenever you reach out to serve others. It’s always very rewarding to help other people, and God will certainly reward you in heaven if you’re willing to help out on Earth.

Thank you for reading this, and may the Lord give you a wonderful week! We are trying to reach people who are hurting, so if God lays it on your heart, please consider becoming a partner with us. If you would like to make a donation, please visit www.hcmachaplains.org and click on the Donate Now link. You may also send your donation to http://www.gofundme.com/tznwnc. Finally, you can send donations by mail to HCMA (Healthcare Chaplains Ministry Association). Our ID number is 560. The address is 377 E. Chapman Ave., Suite 260, Placentia, CA 92870.

If you have questions, comments or prayer requests for Timothy or Stephanie Burdick, please call 641-715-3900, ext. 874157.