The Spiritual Discipline of Service

By Pastor Chad

Many times, success in our world is measured by how much money one has, how popular one is, or the position one holds. This is not exclusively the case, but it is common. In fact, sometimes, the only way to get ahead in our world is to tear others down. That should not be the case for Christians. In God’s eyes, the way to get ahead is to serve others. This almost sounds counterintuitive: to be first, I must be last? But that’s exactly what Jesus teaches. 

In Matthew 20:26-27, Jesus says, “[W]hoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave…” As the early Christians said, “To serve is to reign.” True godliness is not found in the positions we hold, our status in the culture, or the size of our bank account. True godliness is found in humbly serving our Lord; not seeking fame and acclaim through said service, but simply seeking God’s glory and honor. True greatness does not come through self-aggrandizement or self-promotion. It comes through serving others.  

We serve the Lord by serving His Kingdom. We serve His Kingdom by serving others. We serve others through various roles and responsibilities. In our service of the Lord, we are not seeking to be noticed or even a “Thank you!” We simply want to make much of Jesus. 

We have a perfect example of what true service looks like in our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Christ showed us that true service always involves some sort of sacrifice or surrender. If you are looking to serve only when it is convenient or beneficial to you, then you are not serving for the right reason. A righteous servant of God is willing to surrender his or her life to the Lord – to be used in any way He sees fit. 

Given the many wonderful programs and functions the modern church has, folks sometimes think service only takes place when one is participating in a church function. Serving with and in the local church is great – and necessary – but we cannot overlook the many opportunities we may have to serve on an individual basis. This may be a simple act of helping a neighbor or helping a co-worker. Don’t allow the program mindset of the local church blind you to the many opportunities for service that may be right in front of you. Seek to serve – again, not for human acknowledgement or acclaim – but for the sake of Christ.