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A Whale’s Bellybutton Scratcher

By Tom Lane

So Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:42–45 

The call to serve others is heaven’s call for those who love God. Through acts of kindness and expressions of service to people, we become the hands and feet of God. He reveals His love to people through the tangible expression of our giving as we meet a need or take care of a person. Service takes several forms. It’s not the size of our act of service that matters, it’s the motivation behind our service that gets heaven’s attention. Jesus said, “Those who give one of these little ones a cup of cold water because they are my followers will truly get their reward” (Matthew 10:42).

The true reflection of our love for God is seen in how we act more than in the words we speak. While it’s true that our eternity and our righteousness is solely based on the work Christ has done, it is also true that our love for Him is reflected in the things we do. In this way, our faith and our actions are inseparably linked. The apostle James said it like this:

What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.” (James 2:14–18)

Throughout my years working in ministry, I’ve observed countless people who attend church faithfully. They’re knowledgeable about the Scriptures, but they don’t serve in any capacity in the church or the community as an expression of their love for God. Whenever they’re approached about serving in an area or asked to help meet a need, they respond with, “Thank you, but I’m not called to that,” or “Well, I would, but that’s just not my area of gifting.” Yet they go on, year after year, simply gaining more knowledge about the Bible and growing in relationships without ever serving somewhere.

It reminds me of the story I heard about a guy in California who was on welfare. In order to keep his welfare benefits, he had to be actively looking for and willing to accept a job in his area of experience. So he listed his area of experience as “a whale’s bellybutton scratcher.” And since he couldn’t find a job as a “whale’s bellybutton scratcher” (it might be shocking, but there’s not a high demand for whale bellybutton scratchers), he was able to maintain his welfare benefits without ever working.

Jesus doesn’t want any of us to be on the sidelines without a place to serve. You have more to offer than you’ve expressed, and you are more gifted than you realize! Don’t allow yourself to think like a spiritual “whale’s bellybutton scratcher.” It’s important to God that we act as His ambassadors—extending His hands of help with acts of service to people in need.

Jesus told His disciples a story about the final judgment at the end of time to illustrate this point. He said:

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’ Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’” (Matthew 25:34–40)

Let’s make a commitment today to find a way to use our interests, passions, and abilities to serve God by serving people! And by doing so, you can join the movement, “Believers Against Whale Bellybutton Scratchers!”

Everybody can be great…because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.
~ Martin Luther King Jr.

Memory Verse

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10