Serve Others

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”  Mark 10:45

Meditation: Men love to be served. Certainly, being waited on hand and foot feels good. We praise good service at a restaurant or other business and become angry when we receive bad service. It may be appropriate to expect good service at a restaurant or from a business paid to perform a service, but we can take this idea too far. I have seen men demand service from their wife as if she is their personal servant rather than their partner in life. I have seen a man point at something and his wife is expected to know that she is supposed to serve him what he pointed at. I have seen men sit in their chair, unwilling to move two feet to obtain what they want, but instead, yell at their wife in another room to get it for them.

Jesus came to serve, not to be served. He is God, the Creator of all life and He could have come to earth on a chariot of fire demanding the honor and adulation He was due. Jesus came to earth in humility and as an unassuming servant to give His life for mankind. He cared for the poor, healed the sick and served mankind while on His way to the cross. How can we do any less, but to also serve others?

Brothers, we are to serve, not seek to be served. Jesus said that the first shall be last and the last shall be first. Yet we will almost always push our way to the front, seek the best seat or jealously guard our position. Recognition and being set in the important place may make us feel good in the present, but humility and setting others before ourselves will bring rewards we cannot even imagine in the life to come. We need to develop a spirit of service in our lives. It doesn’t come naturally and won’t come without God’s power.  But we must think about it, work at it and seek to live lives of serving others, rather than being served. Serving our wives, children, family and others does not mean that we abdicate our role as leader of the home – it actually enhances our role. We are to be servant-leaders in our home, and also in our employment and ministry. We need to look for the opportunities to serve others.

Challenge: Do you live to serve or to be served? What can you do to better serve your wife, children, friends, co-workers, co-ministers or any person you come in contact with? Serve others and see how God blesses you. Humble yourself and think of others more highly than yourself and you will see people encouraged and their day brightened. Give your life to serving as Christ gave His life to serve you.

Thought for the Day: Lord, show me where I can serve others today, to be a blessing and a help to all those around me.

Chris Garner

Used by permission – Fortified Marriages.

Maxim of the Moment

The bonds of matrimony don’t profit you unless the interest is kept up.