Serving Beyond the Minimum

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Scripture:
Genesis 24:15-20 ~ New Living Translation
Before he had finished praying, he saw a young woman named Rebekah coming out with her water jug on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel, who was the son of Abraham’s brother Nahor and his wife, Milcah. Rebekah was very beautiful and old enough to be married, but she was still a virgin. She went down to the spring, filled her jug, and came up again. Running over to her, the servant said, “Please give me a little drink of water from your jug.”

“Yes, my lord,” she answered, “have a drink.” And she quickly lowered her jug from her shoulder and gave him a drink. When she had given him a drink, she said, “I’ll draw water for your camels, too, until they have had enough to drink.” So she quickly emptied her jug into the watering trough and ran back to the well to draw water for all his camels.

Observation:
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible ~ She was so well qualified that in all respects she answered the characters he wished for in the woman that was to be his master’s wife, handsome and healthful, humble and industrious, very courteous and obliging to a stranger, and having all the marks of a good disposition.  She did not stand to gaze upon the strange man and his camels, but minded her business, and would not have been diverted from it but by an opportunity of doing good. She did not curiously nor confidently enter into discourse with him, but modestly answered him, with all the decorum that became her sex. What a degenerate age do we live in, in which appear all the instances of pride, luxury, and laziness, the reverse of Rebekah’s character, whose daughters few are!

Application:
From the Life Application Study Bible ~ Rebekah had outward beauty but also inner beauty. Unfortunately we spend a lot of time and money on the outer while putting little effort to develop the inner. Patience, kindness, an joy are the beauty treatments that help us become truly lovely - on the inside. Rebekah had a servant spirit. She went beyond the bare minimum. When asked to help or when you see a need, go beyond the minimum.

Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father, help me to serve with a good attitude. I struggle with patience and joy in serving others. Sometimes I get annoyed and aggravated when asked to do something. I want to be like Rebekah who went beyond the minimum and served joyfully while doing her task. I know that your Holy Spirit lives in me and produces the fruit of His Spirit, which is love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, and self-control. I will depend on him to let these come through me in my day to day life. In Jesus name, amen.