What does serving others mean to you? Is your focus on what you can do for them? Do you reap any benefits from serving others? Do you prefer others to serve you? Have you thought about your service being a grace from God?
Serving others comes in many forms. We may serve by helping a student understand their math equations. Our help may mean the difference between getting a passing grade or failing the class. We may serve by helping someone clean their house.
But serving may also mean encouraging someone to accomplish something they thought was not possible. It may be your encouragement that keeps a person going down the right path. It may be your encouragement that entices a person to try something new.
Serving is giving. It is giving a part of yourself. It is giving your time and energy to someone else. It is setting aside your preferences to provide for someone in need. It is sharing God’s grace with someone who needs it.
Mercy is also a serving spiritual gift. When you show mercy, do you not demonstrate the servant nature of Jesus? Yes, mercy is difficult for us, but only because of our pride. Following in Jesus’ servant footsteps is to show mercy to those who need it.
God has given us His grace and to be a faithful steward of it, we must serve one another. The heart of a servant, servanthood in the flesh, is what God has called us to. Serving others is serving God. It is walking in the footsteps of Jesus.
I pray we all choose to serve one another. I pray we follow in Jesus’ servanthood footsteps. I pray each one of us will choose to serve others through helping, giving, encouragement, and mercy. Give to one another. Show mercy to one another. Help one another. Encourage one another. Serve one another.
1 Peter 4:10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.
Marty Pressey 