Samuel was just a boy serving Eli the priest when the Lord called him to be a prophet. In the eyes of the world, the small tasks Samuel were given to serve the Lord would seem small and insignificant, but to God that was not true. Samuel was serving the Lord in a capacity he was capable of at that point in his young life. Later, in 1 Samuel 16, the Lord gives us insight on how He sees things compared to the world. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” [1] 1 Samuel 16:7.
Samuel had a heart for the Lord at a very young age and enjoyed serving. As a prophet he served the Lord in different ways. There are many different ways we can serve the Lord in our daily lives from helping others, giving an encouraging word, praying for others, and many other ways. The key is always what is in our heart.
The Crossing Church blog from Nov. 5, 2015 did a great job of giving eleven benefits of serving.
- Serving others gives you purpose.
- Serving others gives you more joy.
- Serving others reduces stress.
- Serving others connects you to others.
- Serving others shows you what following Jesus is about.
- Serving others allows you to join in what God is doing.
- Serving others gives you an avenue to use your gifts.
- Serving gets your focus off yourself.
- Serving others teaches you humility.
- Serving others allows you to make a true difference in another person’s life.
- Serving others advances the Kingdom of God. [2]
How about you? Where is the Lord calling you to grow in the area of serving? Pray and ask God where to start and be prepared to hear the still small voice of the Holy Spirit.
Bible verses on Serving
1 Peter 4: 10 God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.[3]
Acts 20: 35 And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ [4]
To hear more about Samuel’s call, listen here: https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/series/the-call/the-call-samuel
[1,3,4] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.
[2] https://www.cometothecrossing.com/resources/blog/712-awesome-benefits-of-serving-others-8-bible-verses-on-serving-others