Why is serving others such an important step in our life? Serving others transforms us. I tend to be selfish and I know the Lord wants me to grow out of that. Philippians 2:3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.[1] The Lord knows all of us struggle with being selfish and one way to break out of that behavior is to humble ourselves and begin to serve others.
Jesus Served Others
The day before Jesus was crucified, He gathered His disciples together where He instituted Holy Communion. During that last night together, Jesus gave some of his most important teaching to the disciples. Jesus knew the next day He would die, and He had one more chance to convey the most important aspects of being a disciple. He knew serving others transforms us. Jesus was not only going to tell them how important it was, but he was going to demonstrate it to them, and they were going to participate.
John 13:4 So Jesus got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him…
12 After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? 13 You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. 14 And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. 15 I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. 16 I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. 17 Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them. [2]
The Blessings of Serving Others
What happens when we start thinking of others instead of ourselves? It will change the way we see them, and it will change us. It will move us away from being selfish and help us grow spiritually. Thinking of others is a step towards spiritual maturity. Isn’t this the Lord’s goal for all of us? He wants us to grow to be more like Him.
We are changed and blessed as we serve. There are no blessings from the Lord for being selfish! Listed below are just some of the benefits of serving. Yes, serving is a blessing that changes us and makes us more like Jesus. Ask the Lord to show you how serving others transforms us.
Serving others:
- gives you purpose.
- gives you more joy.
- reduces stress.
- connects you to others.
- shows you what following Jesus is about.
- allows you to join in what God is doing.
- gives you an avenue to use your gifts.
- gets your focus off yourself.
- teaches you humility.
- allows you to make a true difference in another person’s life.
- advances the Kingdom of God.[3]
1 Peter 4:10God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.[4] To learn more about how Jesus served, listen here: https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/encountering-jesus-with-the-disciples
[1,2,4] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.
[3] https://www.cometothecrossing.com/resources/blog/712-awesome-benefits-of-serving-others-8-bible-verses-on-serving-others