This Week with Grandma

I think I learned something new about serving this week.
You know Jesus' parable about the sheep and the goats, in which He teaches that when we do something for "any one of the least of these [His] brothers," we've done it for Him? That has long been a motivating passage of Scripture for me. The lesson in those words makes me eager to serve others, because I want to serve Jesus. And I have tried to help my grandmother understand that principle when she becomes self-conscious about how much I need to do for her.
I am happy to do it.
Because I would gladly do it for JESUS!
Well, lately her need has increased. Quite a bit.
She hasn't been getting out of bed much, and when she does get up to move around she needs escorting.
I hold her steady when she brushes her teeth, and sometimes I simply hold the pan and a cup of water so she can brush her teeth in bed.
She needs assistance pulling down her pants to use the bathroom - and most of the time she doesn't even go TO the the bathroom, but uses the commode beside her bed. It just makes more sense to use the commode by her bed - rather than expending precious energy walking across the hall.
And so I do these things for her.
It was one afternoon - in the midst of helping Grandma with these needs and listening to her apologize because I had to empty and clean the commode - that I discovered this new view of serving. I was thinking about doing it for Jesus, knowing I would do it with joy, and wanted to tell Grandma once again about this perspective. But then I realized, I could actually be doing it FOR Jesus. That is, I know Jesus loves my grandmother and He wants her needs to be met. He wants her to be well cared-for. However, Jesus isn't here in bodily form. He can't physically do the things she needs to have done. Instead, I get to be His hands and feet. That is, I get to serve on His behalf.
And that perspective just made my heart overflow with delight. Jesus loves my grandma and wants her needs to be met with love. And He has chosen me to do it. I get to do all this for HIM!
Yes, LORD. Whatever You say.

Have you ever considered this perspective on serving? How does it effect your heart and attitude?