Serve, Service or Served?
Serve, Service or Served?
“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
Joshua 24:15
As I walk around and watch how people interact, I’m amazed, yet baffled at the same time.
My wife and I were walking through a touristy-type town the other day, talking, shopping and people watching. We were amazed at how pleasant some people were. They were friendly, happy and pleasant. They appeared as if they just thoroughly enjoyed life. We met one couple walking a dog that we stood and talked to easily for five minutes. No complaining. Not self-serving. Not belligerent.
Others, not so pleasant. I walked into a gas station and met the cashier as I checked out with some items. The cashier seemed so unhappy, disgruntled or angry. I greeted him, rather than him greeting me. He didn’t even respond. I left with a bewildered thought, why was he so grumpy? What made him seem to be so miserable?
Another man and his wife walked down the sidewalk talking on their phones, unmoving in their stride, and never moving aside for anyone else. We watched as they walked the sidewalk, never moving over for anyone or interacting with each other. They walked side by side as if no one else existed.
Imagine if each of the people we interacted with were wearing tshirts that said “I’m a follower of Jesus Christ”.
Would their actions lead you to believe they were actual followers? Would ours?
We started to talk about our attitudes and service. Everyone has had outstanding and amazing service. Service we won’t forget. And many of us have had service we won’t ever forget because it was so bad.
We asked ourselves, what makes people treat others so badly, and some so good.
We thought, what happened to people? People used to be concerned, considerate and conscious of their actions. It seemed more and more people appeared less concerned.
I started to think, what does my service to God and others look like? Do I make myself ready and available to serve? Am I serving God and others as the Bible commands? Is my outward appearance describe my service?
It’s a pretty easy check of myself. Instead of being so concerned with what others are not doing, I have to focus on what I am doing for God. I’m the example for my wife, my family, my friends and the couple we met on the sidewalk.
“As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”
1 Peter 4:10-11
As Christians, followers of Jesus Christ, we should all have placed our trust and faith in Him and have turned our lives over to Him.
We are called to serve. We are called to serve others, love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, mind, soul and strength. We are to love thy neighbors.
We aren’t called to judge, but to look to others to strengthen our weakness. We are to see the examples set in their relationship with God. We are to serve with all that God has given us.
How are you serving?
“For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.”
Galatians 1:10