Heart of a Servant

Busy Busy Busy.  Our society today is so busy.  It seems there is always a list of accomplishments being done or waiting to be approached.  Every devotional you read, sermon you listen to or church you attend can have a list of "what works for them" and what they think you should do. Is that what true service looks like? Do we throw every ounce of our time and energy at the request for service or servitude in an effort to fill the empty spots?

Jesus Christ was a servant here on earth and he was undoubtedly a busy man. But the art of giving and serving is not always about how busy we can make ourselves.  We were not asked to make ourselves WEARY serving.  I am not saying tired but I am saying WEARY.  Weary is an emotionally exhausted state that lacks the desire to carry on and has no ability to feed or care for its host.  Have you ever been in that state?  I believe that when our service becomes more about what we are accomplishing and less about becoming lesser in the kingdom, we become weary.  Matthew 20:26 says "Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,".  Matthew 19:30 says "But many whoa re first will be last, and many who are last will be first."  I don't know about you but I would rather be elevated from last to first in glory than to look at the Father's face and be demoted to last because I haven't learned this simple lesson.

The act of serving in the church is not a list of accomplishments.  It's not being on more committees than Susan and Jenny to coyly prove you are better at being active in the church.  We have a lady in our church who is a wonderful servant.  She works in the background and accomplishes a lot!  She makes sure there are 4 large urns of coffee always ready, the snack bar is full, no shortage of cold water and cups, has time for any child, works all three services and does it all in bare feet.  She is soft spoken, humble, and simple in her tasks but she loves to do all that she does and willingly steps back when the "show offs" come along and take a moment of coordinating to overshadow her constant, quiet presence.

Serving is a condition of the heart.  Christ calls us to serve one another because it puts us in a  humble position.  It's not a matter of what you have accomplished, how much money you threw at the issue or who saw you do it.  We should be more concerned that our children see us opening the door for the janitor, giving a kind word to the girl at the take out window, paying for the ladies coffee behind us or leaving change at the gas station for someone who might come up short later in the day.  We need to focus on our hearts and what the quiet words of the Holy Spirit are asking of us instead of drowning out that still small voice with the thundering list of accomplishments "WE" did without anyone's help.

2 Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

Galatians 5:13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.

Free yourselves that you  might see and hear more of the Spirit of the Lord in your life.  The still small voice is not loud, boisterous and self-gratifying.  It is quiet and softly molding your heart to be who God sees you to be under His grace.  Let that voice teach you the art of serving and accomplish the Father's "good and perfect work" in you. (Philippians 1:6)