Being a Servant

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As humans, we think of service as a demeaning word. We think that we are the ones who are to be served by others, not the other way around. How many times do we go to a restaurant and get upset because the waiter is a little slow? How many times do we get angry because people are mistreated, but we never lift a finger to help? Service is not limited to those who have made it their career. As Christians, we have made a life-long commitment to serving God and serving others, and it is not a commitment to be taken lightly.

Christ was the ultimate servant. Whether he was feeding the five thousand or washing His apostle’s feet, Jesus was the perfect example of servitude. If we truly want to be like Christ, then we must do the same. We must have the same spirit of service as the Lord. We must remember the true reason for service is love. Paul told us that we must serve one another in love (Gal 5:13). This love one for another will turn our mind away from our me-centered world and show us the true nature of service.

This world is full of hatred and anger, and many times it is hard to want to serve those around us. We must remember that Christ went to the cross for those who hated Him. He gave all for those who would give Him nothing. We must remember that our service is something that sets us apart from the world. Anyone will serve if they get something out of it, but very few will serve for nothing. Service in hope of reward is a job, not service. We are a called-out people. We have been called out of the world of pride and selfishness, and we are called into a world of humility and selflessness.

Service is a lifestyle, not an action. A person can perform an act of service without it being a part of who they are, but as Christians, this is our life and our character. We cannot hold on to the world’s way of thinking and be pleasing to God. Romans 12:1-2 tells us that we are not to be conformed to the world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our mind. We are to be a living sacrifice that is holy (set apart) and acceptable unto God. This is our reasonable service. God is not asking us to do anything that He wasn’t willing to do first. We must all be willing to be a servant.