Service

One of the dominant narratives of our culture is that you can be whatever you want to be. Kids are told that there are no limits. But it’s clearly not true – I’m certain I could never be a physicist or a professional ballet dancer, no matter how hard I tried! The truth is that I couldn’t even be a maths teacher. And this isn’t something to be sad about. It’s actually wonderful because it’s a reflection of our uniqueness and diversity.

God didn’t make us to be good at everything. None of us is supposed to be a superhero who can do it all. Jesus is the only person who ever lived who did “all things well” (Mark 7:37). The beauty of His church is that we each come with all of our strengths and weaknesses, and every single one of us has a part to play. When it comes to serving Jesus and His church, none of us is allowed to disqualify ourselves, or anyone else.

Those who know they are ‘high capacity’, who have an abundance of skills and gifts, who carry authority and power, have Jesus as their role model. John’s Gospel tells us that Jesus, “knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands… began to wash the disciples’ feet” (John 13:3-5). In full awareness of His authority and power, Jesus humbled Himself to serve those who would soon betray, deny and run from Him. The One we follow was a servant leader who bowed down to exalt others.

And for those who would disregard themselves or others, the apostle Paul wrote that every part of the body matters. Without ears, we cannot hear. Without eyes, we cannot see. We might think, “Ah, but some parts of my body are tiny and don’t matter so much.” But if you’ve ever experienced the pain of a broken toe or toothache, you’ll know that when one little part is in agony, the whole body suffers! And Paul says that we can’t say to each other, “I don’t need you,” because “on the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable.” (1 Corinthians 12:22)

As Chief Executive of Jubilee+, I know this full well. Every member of our team has strengths I don’t have. They are all gifted in ways I am not. They cover my weaknesses. I cannot do without them, and I couldn’t swap jobs with most of them, as I’m simply not made and gifted the way they are.

We are called to serve together in teams where each is gifted in different ways, and every person is valued for the part they play.

Prayer:

Pray for a deeper understanding of your unique gifts and the courage to use them to serve God and others. Thank God for the diversity of talents and strengths within His church and pray that every individual would feel valued and appreciated for the part they play. Ask for humility and a servant-hearted attitude, following Jesus’ example of lifting others up in love. Finally, pray for unity in the body of Christ, that we might serve together in harmony, recognising our need for one another.

Take a 40acts challenge today:

1. What are your unique talents? Pray about ways in which you can serve others in practical ways using the talents that God has blessed you with.
2. Ask your church leader if there’s a need that you’re perfect to fill on a Sunday. This could be reading the Scripture, placing the chairs out, or making the tea.
3. Create an ‘office angels’ group with your friends, family, or team at work. Allocate a buddy to each person within the group and suggest regular, anonymous, acts of kindness.