A Servant's Heart

Ladies, have you ever wished you had a maid to cook and clean for you? I would love to have someone to focus on all of the things that I do not want to do around the house. Men, have you ever wished you had a butler that could run all of your errands for you? These "servants" help make the lives of others easier.

As Christians, we are called upon to follow the example of Jesus Christ. The Bible says in Mark 10:45, "For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” The Creator of all of heaven and earth took on flesh and came down here to serve. That is almost unfathomable to the human mind. Think about a king. He has servants that perform his every whim. Why would he want to leave that life of luxury and become a common man? Yet, God, in all of His Mercy to mankind, did exactly that. He left heaven's splendor to come and serve as our sacrifice for sin. What an awesome God!

Of course, we serve God, but we are also called to serve one another. In Galatians 5:13 we read, "For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another." Romans 12:10 says, "Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves." If you have love in your heart for people, it will be easier to serve them. 1 Peter 4:10-11 reads, "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord." Some have the gift of singing. Others can write. Still others have the gift of encouragement. Whatever gift God has given you, use it to be a blessing to others.

There are rewards for serving others. In Ephesians 6:7-8 we read, "Rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free." Jesus said in Matthew 25:35-40 ,"For I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed Me, I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you visited Me, I was in prison and you came to Me. Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of Mine, you did for Me." God knows every service you have performed for someone else--no matter how small it was.

Both of the pastors that I have had in my life have truly been examples of what a life of service looks like. They have been faithful to the church. They have been there for me when I needed prayer and advice. They have given so much of their time and resources to pour into the family of God. God has used them to be a blessing to me and my family. I pray that God will richly bless them and their families.

Remember, no act of kindness is ever wasted. You never know what the person standing next to you is going through. One little act of service can go a long way. Look for a way to be of service to someone today, you just might save a life.

(verses taken from biblestudytools.com)