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Sent to serve

In Matthew 10:28, Jesus says that “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” We also need to have this same mind in ourselves, that we are not here to be served but to serve.

In Phil 2:5-8 Paul writes, ”Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.”

Here Paul asks us to emulate the mind of Jesus which was to come in the form of a servant. We are not to seek our fame, success, or glory, but rather we need to just serve others in humility. This teaching on humility is something people find difficult to accept.

I find it most helpful to think in terms of service. Whatever be your status, position, or role, do not think of your importance in that situation, but think of the responsibility put on you to serve. Too often we think in terms of job description or role. But when we think of serving, we think of meeting needs and not of fulfilling roles or job descriptions. 

That means my role as a supervisor or head of a team is to meet the needs of the team members so that they can function effectively in their roles. The thought that dominates us should be how we can empower and serve our team members by providing for the needs they have. In the passage, Paul says that Jesus gave up His life on the cross, and that is the example for us. We are not here to protect ourselves but to empower others through our service.

I find it interesting that the majority of people when asked about participating in a church service, say that they are looking for a good message or for heart-lifting worship. They think in terms of what they can get and not in terms of what they can give. Worship service is primarily about giving to God and to the church, and not about receiving only. 

Even in situations where we expect to be served, like in a restaurant, can we think in terms of making the day of the staff in the restaurant by our behavior rather than focusing on what we can get? That is the challenge that Jesus gives us.

Whose day have you made today?