DAY 11 FOR THE NEXT GENERATION

DAY 11

Matthew 20 from the "Parable of the Vinyard"

“So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.”

Today we write in green to honor of the death of a great patron saint of Ireland, Patrick. Many view him as the man who drove the snakes out of Ireland. But in reality, he was a great missionary from England who endured servant hood rather than a life of pleasure.

Patrick, born Maewyn Succat, in Britain in AD387 to a wealthy family and kidnapped around age 16 by Irish pirates who were robbing his family's estate. The raiders took him to Ireland where he was imprisoned for six years and labored as a shepherd isolated from all people. During his time of being isolated Patrick provdientially met a man who changed his life and wrote:

I saw a man coming, as it were from Ireland. His name was Victoricus, and he carried many letters, and he gave me one of them. I read the heading: "The Voice of the Irish". As I began the letter, I imagined in that moment that I heard the voice of those very people who were near the wood of Foclut, which is beside the western sea—and they cried
out, as with one voice: "We appeal to you, holy servant boy, to come and walk among us."

Patrick chose to go to Ireland, instead of his estate in Britain because he had a servant's heart. He is believed to have baptized over 1000 people during his ministry. It would be correct to say that instead of "driving snakes" out of Ireland, he had a great role in driving away "the snake" out of the lives of many.

This forces me to answer this hypothetical question, would I leave my life of comfort in Frisco to go to somewhere like Gulu, Uganda today? Do I have a servant's heart like Jesus asked me to have? The following questions are a good gauge to see if someone is living as a servant leader. See where you compare:

• Do people see that I am want to hear about others input and ideas?


• Do people see that I am generally interested in what is happening in others lives?


• Do people come to me when things are going bad?


• Do others believe that I have an awareness of external things going on?


• Do others follow my advice out of respect or subjection?


• Do others feel I am committed to helping them grow?


• Do others sense, I am ultimately for the better good of the group, rather than myself?

And I leave you with this:

An Old Irish Blessing

May love and laughter light your days,and warm your heart and home.May good and faithful friends be yours,wherever you may roam.May peace and plenty bless your world with joy that long endures.May all life's passing seasons bring the best to you and yours!

Let's drive "the snake" away today in Jesus' name,

Jody