What it looks like to serve in my PASTURE outside my four walls

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat,

I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink,

I was a stranger and you invited me in,

I needed clothes and you clothed me,

I was sick and you looked after me,

I was in prison and you came to visit me.

Matthew 25:35-36

Just incase you’ve missed my last 2 posts we have been talking about what it looks like to tend the pasture God has given us.

We first talked about what it actually means when God gives us a pasture and what that entails. Then we spent some time discussing what it looks like to serve right where our two feet are planted, where we are on a daily basis.

You can catch up on these two posts…

Tending my PASTURE

What it looks like to serve in my PASTURE

Today we are going to talk about the pasture outside our four walls.

Our two feet walk us through our homes daily which means our top priority is in our home but there comes a time when we must step outside our home. At that point our mission field/pasture becomes those around us.

Daily

On a daily basis what does that look like for you? Who do you come in contact with at work, school, or running errands and how can you minister, encourage or help them?

For me, my daily interactions are filled with moments in carline/carpool, running errands and interacting with friends. The problem I run into is often being so focused on the end point of drop off or checking something off my to-do list that I forget to take the time to connect and help those around me. Do you struggle with that too? These are the questions I ask myself which help remind me to look up and help those around me.

• • What can I do to encourage the hearts of the kids in my car before they begin their day and after a long day at school?
  • How can I speak words of encouragement/lift up the teacher directing carline?Moments in carline/carpool

• Running errands
  • How can I help the mom struggling with a child while grocery shopping?
  • Is there some way I can “pay it forward” while running errands?

• Friends
  • How can I help lighten the load of a friend who is a single mom?
  • Do I have a friend who could use an extra note of encouragement and prayer?

Weekly

There are some areas where God asks us to minister and serve but just not on a daily basis. Those areas may include the gym, church, volunteering, or mentoring. Think about it for a few minutes, where do you go/what do you do on a weekly basis where God could use you to minister and serve?

For me, I serve weekly at my church and monthly through personal mentoring.

When it comes to the pasture God has placed us in we can ask ourselves these types of questions. While I’ve listed them under my areas you can use them for your own.

• Church
  • Small group
    • Who do I need to reach out to that hasn’t been in a while?
    • Is someone struggling through difficulties that may need a little extra TLC?
    • What can I do mid-week to help support the study from Sunday?
  • Women’ s Ministry/Bible Study
    • How can I be a source of welcome and encouragement?
    • How can I help them grow deeper in their walk with Christ?

• Personal Mentoring
  • Is there a friend I need to come alongside as she is walking a path I have previously travelled?
  • How can I help someone learn how to dig deeper into God’s Word?

Today we’ve talked about what it looks like to serve/tend the PASTURE God has given us outside our four walls. Now it’s time for you to put this into action. What is your pasture outside your four walls? Where does he want you to minister on a daily or weekly basis and what does that look like? Next week we will talk about how we tend the PASTURE God gives us on a larger scale.

In His Calm,