Serving Challenge: An 11-Day Life-Changing Journey to Serve Like JesusSample

Serving Like Jesus: Your Ambition

When my family visits a new place, we often take selfies to remember the occasion. But lately, I've learned selfies are more than a harmless memory maker. The number of people who have fallen off cliffs, bridges, and steep edges to their deaths attempting to take selfies is rising. One news outlet claims the number of selfie-related deaths tripled in 2021 compared to 2020. But selfies are not just dangerous for our bodies; they can hurt our souls too.

The selfie reveals a human desire to feel noticed and appreciated. You will always have that desire. But, rather than looking to others for approval or acceptance, I want you to see today that God notices you. God loves you so much that He would give up His life for you.

Jesus would preach to a crowd and say in Matthew 11:11: "Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he."

But when John the Baptist was alive, the last thing he cared about was being great. In John 3:30, he said, "He must become greater; I must become less." The He that John was talking about was Jesus. John the Baptist understood his role.

If we are not careful, we will get swept up into what is normal. Marketing and digital strategists harp on self-promotion and building your platform. If we continually think of ourselves in "selfie" mode, we will miss out on what's most important. Be aware that the world won't understand you when you flip the camera lens off of yourself and onto God.

The secret of life, the mystery of joy, is to get outside yourself and stare at someone better than you. The best thing you can do is to get over yourself and gaze instead on Jesus! When we flip off of selfie mode and live un-selfie, not only do we experience joy, but we help others see Jesus. What the world needs to see more than anything else is not a beautiful selfie of someone dangling their legs off a cliff. They need to see the full expression of Jesus.

So, which mode will you live in, selfie or un-selfie?

When you live for the cause of Jesus, namely serving others, you will find more fulfillment than you ever thought possible!

Challenge:

Make two columns named 'selfie' and 'others.' Write down the last ten things you have done. Are there more things under the selfie column or the others column?

If you enjoyed this 11-day challenge, consider continuing the adventure to serve like Jesus by purchasing Serving Challenge. At that link, you can discover how you, your small group, or even your entire church can serve like Jesus together.