“The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” Mathew 20:28
Years ago I helped at an orphanage for a few weeks in Mozambique, Africa, and I remember how excited I was to serve in this way. However, I was taken aback during an evening of praise and worship, when I watched a lame man drag his body through the dirt to come to me. He laid his hand on me and asked if he could pray for me. I cried. This man was serving me in a way I had never experienced before.
Serving means taking the spotlight off of ourselves and putting it onto another. It is all too easy to go throughout the day, not recognizing when someone might have a need that we could help with. When we do notice a person’s needs, we often don’t even know how badly they needed it
Satan tries to keep us distracted with our own lives, yet God desires that we put others first.
Jesus knew the key to joy was not to benefit Himself, but the lives of others. Everything Jesus did hinged upon serving others — even to the point of sacrificing His life.
The man who prayed for me had the kind of joy that can only come from God: he had the biggest smile on his face. He gave me all that he could offer me that day, and taught me that service often looks differently than what we think.
Heavenly Father, open my eyes to see the people in need that You desire me to serve. Make me a servant who is humble and meek. I want to live for You and love others the way You desire me to. Amen.
Take Action
This week, ask God to show you ways in which you can serve someone. It might look like serving your spouse a cup of coffee in the morning, or paying for the groceries of someone standing in line behind you at the supermarket. It might be giving a listening ear to someone who has had a rough season in his life, or even praying for someone who needs to know that she is cared for and loved. In any case, when God speaks to you about serving, listen to His voice. He always knows what He’s doing.
