You Were Shaped for Serving God…Even If You Are Type A

 I just got a call from Deb.Kim’s dad is sick.  She has to rush home to Wisconsin.

“Pray for her, OK?” Deb asks. “Let the others know.”

OK, Deb.

I hang up my cell and speed dial Kim.

“What can I do to help you, Kim?”

“I’m OK.  Deb’s here cooking,”  Kim replies

I’m not surprised. Deb is a master at service. Her actions remind me of The Purpose Driven Life, a great book by Pastor Rick Warren.

“We serve God by serving others,” the first chapter says.

The problem of this Type A woman is obvious: How can I serve others when I’m so uptight about my own checklist?Here I am squeezing in a phone call to Kim. Deb is in her kitchen cooking up supper.

Real servants do what’s needed, even when it’s inconvenient. Good job Deb!

Type A women stick to their schedule, marking each “To Do” off with a stubborn checkmark.We “Type A’s” miss many occasions for serving because we lack sensitivity and spontaneity.

Spontaneity can be tough for the Type A woman.  If it’s not on my list – yikes –  how will I ever fit an act of service in?

I’m overbooked. Hmmmmm … but I need to learn about service from Deb.I love what Rick Warren says about service in his book. He says, basically, (forgive my paraphrase) Service does not have to be perfect to be pleasing.
Service can be sloppy.

WOW, that really scares this “Type A” person! If I can’t dot the “i” and cross the “t” I may have apoplexy (A condition Type A women develop when they do not feel in control)

“The truth is,” Rick Warren notes, ” everything we do is done poorly when we first start doing it. That’s how we learn.”

So, Rick, are you saying everything does not have to be planned out?  Again, that’s tough for the “A” woman.

But, back to Deb in the kitchen. Last week she called me to pray over a friend who lost his brother. “We’re meeting to pray…come on over.”

I didn’t go.  My schedule did not have prayer penciled in.  I’m  sure I missed a blessing.

Real servants take time to do every task with equal dedication, even those not on their lists.

Deb cooked dinner so Kim could pack.

What a divine mission.