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Day 3 – Service
“Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:28) These powerful words were spoken by Christ and reveal his humble desire to sacrificially serve the world around him. But let’s pause for a second and compare the above scripture with the following phrase: “I’ll serve your needs as long as you serve mine.” Now let’s be honest, which attitude are you normally acting from?
Serving others means giving my time, strength, energy, finances, talents and love to aid another person, without expecting anything in return. The above scripture reveals plainly that Christ came to serve, not be served. He came longing only to give and sacrifice himself for others. What a beautiful image of what we are all called to do for each other.
What if our culture experienced a paradigm shift in which people sought the perfection and betterment of the people around them, rather than self-centeredly seeking only our own self-fulfillment? Would this cause us to lose our own happiness? St. Francis didn’t seem to think so. He once stated, “For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.”
Talk about a paradox! Yet even Christ instructs us that those who are last will be first and those who are first will be last. So by only seeking after our own happiness we will find ourselves miserable, but by seeking the happiness and service of God and others, we will find a joy and fulfillment inside ourselves unlike anything we’ve ever experienced!
In truth, God has created each of us with a purpose to love and serve one other. Our greatest joy and fulfillment is found by living according to His purposes for our life. So as long as we ignore this commandment and purpose, we will always be lacking and unsatisfied within. Christ reminds us that, “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matt. 25:40)
So let our service for our friends, family, classmates and even strangers be performed as though we were actually serving Christ. Because in truth, we actually are!
Caleb Bridges | Residence Director of Pembroke Hall
“Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:28) These powerful words were spoken by Christ and reveal his humble desire to sacrificially serve the world around him. But let’s pause for a second and compare the above scripture with the following phrase: “I’ll serve your needs as long as you serve mine.” Now let’s be honest, which attitude are you normally acting from?
Serving others means giving my time, strength, energy, finances, talents and love to aid another person, without expecting anything in return. The above scripture reveals plainly that Christ came to serve, not be served. He came longing only to give and sacrifice himself for others. What a beautiful image of what we are all called to do for each other.
What if our culture experienced a paradigm shift in which people sought the perfection and betterment of the people around them, rather than self-centeredly seeking only our own self-fulfillment? Would this cause us to lose our own happiness? St. Francis didn’t seem to think so. He once stated, “For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.”
Talk about a paradox! Yet even Christ instructs us that those who are last will be first and those who are first will be last. So by only seeking after our own happiness we will find ourselves miserable, but by seeking the happiness and service of God and others, we will find a joy and fulfillment inside ourselves unlike anything we’ve ever experienced!
In truth, God has created each of us with a purpose to love and serve one other. Our greatest joy and fulfillment is found by living according to His purposes for our life. So as long as we ignore this commandment and purpose, we will always be lacking and unsatisfied within. Christ reminds us that, “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matt. 25:40)
So let our service for our friends, family, classmates and even strangers be performed as though we were actually serving Christ. Because in truth, we actually are!
Caleb Bridges | Residence Director of Pembroke Hall
About this Plan
This 40 day prayer plan was written by students, faculty and staff at Belmont University as a daily devotional for incoming freshmen. Each day guides and encourages new college students in their faith in Jesus Christ through the word of God and the sincere thoughts, seasoned advice and honest prayers of the contributing authors. May these words help you grow in your love for God and your love for others!
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We would like to thank Belmont University for providing this plan. For more information, please visit: www.belmont.edu
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