The act of service is a privilege and an important responsibility that God has given us. It is an honor to be able to serve God and others, while we are living on this earth, as well as a blessing. When we have a servant’s heart, not only will we give God glory, we will be blessed when we bless others. Jesus pointed out this truth when He said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35).” When we serve others by giving them our love, time, effort, energy, work, help, and so on, something special happens.
It is our duty as women and men of God to “serve one another in love (Galatians 5:13).” While God may place a different call on each of our lives, there is “one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all (Ephesians 4:4-6),” and we need to follow and obey His commands and guidance. Whether we choose to serve others on the mission field, in our church, at home, or in our community, then we need to take our responsibility to heart and do so with love. Mother Teresa was quoted as saying, “It is not how much you do, but how much love you put into the doing that matters.”
When we choose to serve, we should always remember that it is not just people that we are serving. We are serving Jesus Christ! “Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men (Ephesians 6:7).” We cannot be half hearted or lukewarm in our efforts, if we want to be a good servant of the Lord. It’s important to have a good attitude and a pure heart, while we are serving, because the condition of our heart is what truly matters to God. “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7).”
When we serve God the right way, then we please Him, and if you have given your life fully to the Lord, then the desire of your heart will be to please Him. Our attitude and the condition of our heart matters to God, and if we pursue His righteousness and walk in what He has for us, then we will carry out His will. Romans 14:17-18 says, “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men.” The importance of our attitude and the condition of our heart is further emphasized in Philippians 2:14-15, which instructs, “Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.”
1 Peter 4:11 encourages us to find our strength in the Lord, when we serve. It says, “If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.” Not everything that we do for God and others is going to be easy. As a matter of fact, it is not uncommon to feel emotionally, mentally and physically tired from serving. However, if we take care of ourselves and allow God’s Spirit to strengthen us, then we can accomplish anything in Christ.
The best example of a servant was Jesus Himself, and Philippians 2 gives us guidance on how to be a better servant. Philippians 2:3-4 tells us that we should be selfless and humble, and consider others before we think of ourselves. Philippians 2:5-8 says that our attitude “should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death — even death on a cross!”
Philippians 2 goes on to urge us to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, and reminds us that it is God who works in us, in order to fulfill His purpose (Philippians 2:12-13). We are special and valuable to God and to the fulfillment of His plan now and for eternity. If we want to possess the heart of a servant and fulfill God’s will, then we should look to Jesus’ example as what a servant truly is.
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