“I will, with God’s help”

That is the response of the People to the inquiry of the celebrant in “The Baptismal Covenant”: “Will you seek to serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself?”  The response is not: “Sure. I’ve got this!” but the response is an affirmation as well as a declaration of a dependence on God to serve others on God’s strength and aid.  It is so easy for me to be on auto-pilot as I serve in the community – whether it be set-up for Sunday Holy Eucharist, cleaning dishes after a One Table Café meal outreach, organizing readers and readings for Sunday services, or putting together a bootcamp workout for my F3 Princeton brothers.  I easily forget the motivation for why I am doing what I am doing.  The response “I will, with God’s help” makes me ask:  What is my motivation in my efforts in serving?  Am I motivated to glorify God?  Am I trying to make a name for myself?  Do I just want to have good feelings on what I have done? 

The Apostle Paul states:  “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.  Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” (Philippians 2:3,4).  My motivation to serve Christ in all persons must be love – love that radiates from the depth of love for humankind that Jesus Christ has for us now, and how he showed that love in his care for people as told in the Gospels.  May it be so!  I will, with God’s help.