How can you teach service?

I haven't really written in a while! You know, the kind of writing that makes you think and gets your creative juices flowing. The kind of writing that makes you stop and go 'huh, I never thought of it that way!' Hopefully that's what this blog post will do for you!

I got into a conversation this past Sunday about teaching. Now, the person I was talking may not realize that I got 'teaching' out of our convo but I did. Here's a thought to ponder...

If you don't teach your child to truly know what service is, do you think that they will grow up to have a servant's heart?

Now, I know that's kind of deep for midnight on a Tuesday but I can't shake this thought. You see, I meet students often and have since I was about 19 years old. I've observed them, hung out with them and even taught them, and one thing that I wonder is 'will they ever know what it means to put someone else first?'

Now, if you've kept up with my blog over the past 5 years, you've probably heard me mentioned a little place called Caswell. A small island off the coast of North Carolina that holds a large piece of my heart. It was there that I learned what it meant to serve. What it meant to truly put someone else before my wants, my needs, my 'gotta haves.' At Caswell, that's what you did... you served! You scrub showers and toilets. You serve mystery meat to over a 1000 students and chaperons. You pull weeds and cut grass in 100 degree weather. You wake up at dawn and got to bed after midnight all so that those students and chaperons can experience a truly unforgettable time with God. The best part is they see God through the acts service. Crazy how that happens huh?

This concept was huge for me growing! HUGE... and it's something that I feel is lacking in the Buckhead area. I don't feel like these students know what true service. How to take a step back away from the 'me me me' and they learn how to 'serve serve serve.'

Any suggestions on how to teach service?