The Call to Serve

Matthew 23:11-12, “But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. ¹² And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (NKJV)

The Lord placed this passage of scripture upon my heart as I prepared a Eulogy for a special lady a few days ago. I am sure you are thinking the same thing that I did when I sensed this verse being placed in my heart. I thought, "What are people going to think? What does this have to do with the celebration of a person's life? Don't you think that you can find something more appropriate for an occasion such as this?" On and on those questions kept running through my mind but then I realized that life is not just about receiving a certain number of days to walk on the face of this Earth. The true essence and fulfillment of life is about sharing and serving. It is about giving our lives to a greater cause that just our self and our selfish desires.

 

Mom's and Dad's can identify with this premise when they remember those days when they were awakened and did not feel very well but they arose, got up out of bed and went to work because the "cause" was greater than their personal desire. Soldiers have joined the military in the midst of very difficult and challenging wars and conflicts because they felt that the "cause" was greater than their personal safety. Missionaries have left their comfortable homes and loving family and friends because the "cause of the Gospel" was greater than their desire to please self. I could continue to list these scenarios but hopefully you can grasp the importance of the "cause" and the blessing of serving.

 

Serving God and serving others is a very positive action that we take rather than a negative action. Selfishness and a self-serving attitude has taken a toil on the atmosphere of servanthood. We have allowed the attitudes of the culture to make inroads into the family of God. God is still calling for men, women, boys and girls who are willing to "deny themselves" and serve one another. Be encouraged and blessed when you are given an opportunity to serve. Be encouraged and blessed when God trusts you enough that He asks you to serve in some capacity whether great or small (Usually greatness or smallness is defined by us and not by God). Spiritual greatness is defined and described through our desire to serve. During prayer I was reminded of this challenge from the Spirit; "My service should not be predicated on my observance of other people. I should desire to serve regardless of whether someone else serves or they choose not to serve."