If you've grown up in church, you've probably heard this phrase or maybe even a whole sermon about it. Christian comedians even joke that having a servant's heart equals stacking chairs. But all jokes aside, being willing to be a servant is crucial to our walk with the Lord. Don't get me wrong, we are saved by faith through Jesus and not through good works (Ephesians 2:8). But what good is reading the Word of God when we aren't living it out? Our works don't save us, but they are the fruit of our salvation.
The first thing we need to learn about being a servant is that it's not about us.
You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh ; rather, serve one another humbly in love. Galatians 5:13
When we serve others, it's not about getting recognition. It's not about getting anything in return. It's about putting others before ourselves and loving them regardless of what we may or may not get in return.
I've learned more life lessons from serving in and outside of the church than anywhere else! I am so thankful for the leaders in my life who have taught me the importance of serving others. Though our motive should be simply to do something for someone else, it does feel good to do good.
Service isn't always about doing the "big things". It's the small things as well: stacking chairs, staying late to clean up after an event at the church, helping someone paint there house, babysitting someone's kids so they can go to a church service. There is no such thing as mediocre service in the kingdom of God.
A lot of our problems in life today are caused (or at least made worse) by us being so focused on ourselves. If we focused less on ourselves and more on serving the people around us, we wouldn't have the time to be so consumed with ourselves. We would realize that the world does not revolve around us and that life is to short to get so upset about some of the things we get upset about when there are people in the world who are really hurting and need what God can do through us. That's what being the church is.
It's time for us to step up. It's time for us as the church to stop being afraid to put ourselves out there and stand up to be who we are supposed to be. It's time to roll up our sleeves and stop being unwilling to get our hands a little dirty.
We don't have to go to other countries to serve people (although serving through missions is an amazing calling). We need to realize that the missions field is where our feet are...right in our back yards, in our neighborhoods, in our churches, in our jobs. God has you where you are for a reason and He will use you where you are to serve others if you'll only let Him.
