Earlier this week, I heard that the average person spends 85% of their time thinking about themselves and the other 15% thinking about others. Wow, what a disconnect!
Of course, Jesus is the ultimate example of selflessness. He loved us so much, that He did something about it. He came down into our mess to save us. But Jesus didn’t stop there. He gave us every blessing and lets us work with Him! What grace!
People are Jesus’ priority. And, because we are His ambassadors, we should follow His lead. But this requires sacrifice… It may cost time, money, or energy/effort. Or, all of these combined! This seemed to come naturally to my late husband, Dave. He was such a servant! For me, though, it’s something I continually have to cultivate.
So, how do we go from self-focused to servanthood?
Seek input from others. Be willing to listen to their ideas, yet refuse the urge to gossip.
Help solve problems, even if there is no gain for you.
Encourage one another. Lift each other up and don’t tear each other down.
Think “we” instead of “me.” Work together as a team to accomplish more.
Be considerate. How will _______ (this decision or action) affect everyone else?
Treat others respectfully, even if they don’t treat you the same.
Practically speaking, this may be watching someone’s children, house work, yard work, or helping someone cross the street. It could be yielding to another car in traffic or letting someone go ahead of you at the grocery store. It doesn’t have to be over-the-top.
Yesterday, my heart was touched when a man in a wheelchair held the door for me!
We are transformed by serving others. Our hearts and attitudes change as we help meet others’ needs and join Jesus in His work. In fact, the closer we grow to Him, we become His friends, not just servants.
It’s much more fun and effective to work or serve with your friends, right?!
Being a servant is an act of worship. At the end of my life, I want to hear Jesus say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” But He probably won’t say, “Well thought, good and faithful servant.” We need to put our love in action.
Anything worth doing is worth doing well. Yes, it may be costly, but it helps to keep the right perspective. Our work is for the Lord Himself and He will reward us richly (in various ways). With Jesus, we always come out ahead!
In the end, loving others is not about me. People don’t need to see more of me, me, me. We exhibit Christ’s love so others may know Him personally. More of Him, less of me.
**********
Heavenly Father, You are so gracious. Thank You for calling us friends! Help us see where You are working and join You there. Give me a servant’s heart. In Jesus’ Name, Amen
Questions: Do you find serving others to be a challenge, or is it easy for you? Do you have any other ideas to share on being a servant?!
Tasks: Look for new opportunities to serve each day. Be creative and considerate. Write a thank you note to someone who blessed you!
Always seems to be what I need for the day/week!!!!
Thanks so much, Joan! Glad you enjoyed this post! 🙂
I like the emphasis on putting your love into action. I often have thoughts on how to help someone, whether its a random act of kindness for a stranger or a well-planned deed for a loved one, but I don’t feel like I act on them enough. I run out of time or money, or I get distracted by something else, or even worse, I think “well, it probably won’t make a difference, so I’ll just skip it”. I need to make a focused effort to follow through on my intentions to be a blessing to others. And, I don’t think I need to overthink it, either.
Yes, I can completely overthink things. But, I am getting better at keeping it simple. Blessings on your week!