To Serve Like Jesus

THE SON OF MAN DIDN'T COME SO THAT OTHERS COULD SERVE HIM. HE CAME TO SERVE. Mark 10.45.

Everyone wants to be served. But no one wants to serve. It is understandable in a world of masters and servants and employers and employees. Those who serve say they are slogging for others and get no fair remuneration. Hence they begin to work for themselves and become their own masters. But soon they find that they are the worst ‘slave masters’ of themselves and others. Now they work to death for money and more money!

When we consider work, even service, there is too much emphasis given to remuneration or income. No doubt it is important. We need money to live comfortably and to bring up our children and it is far too expensive today! But the pity is that today’s generation has totally forgotten that whatever work one is doing, his primary function is to serve the people and the community. The civil service, the service providers and the business people too, must be basically engaged in providing service to the people. If you are merely working for money and not for people, you make money your God!

You, as a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, must learn from Him the service mentality. We should not only talk about it in our churches but we must practice it in our homes and marketplaces. We must set an example to others in serving the people. Those who have realised this basic responsibility to serve one another and the society will approach their job or business from that perspective. They will become a great help to people, especially the helpless! ‘People’ must come before ‘money’. Though people may pay for your service or commodity, your primary concern must be their benefit.

Dear believer, learn from the Saviour, the compassion He had for the people especially the poor, needy and the suffering. The gospel writers mention on many occasions that the Lord’s heart was filled with compassion for the people. You must learn to combine the servant-spirit and the compassion of the Master and carry on your work, job, profession or business. It is more so if you are involved in any spiritual ministry. People will notice and talk about it and the news will spread if they are pleased with you. You will be sure to succeed in whatever you are doing. Our Father in heaven will be glorified. The Lord Jesus Christ will be exalted in and through us.

Pray and practise with me: Dear Lord, help me to begin to be like You, serving others and not wanting to be served all the time. Let me do it with Your servant-spirit and compassion. Amen.