REFLECT: How did today's reading impact you?
"My servant Caleb thinks differently and follows me completely" (Numbers 14:24 -New Century Version)
"Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself." (Philippians 2:5 The Message)
Real servants serve God with a mindset of five attitudes:
- Servants think more about others than about themselves. Servants focus on others, not themselves. (Phil 2:7) Unfortunately alot of our service can be self-serving. We serve to get others to like us, to be admired, or to achieve our own goals. That is manipulation, not ministry. Real servants don't try to use God for their purposes. They let God use them for His purposes. Here's a good measuring stick for how I'm doing. How do I react when I'm taken for granted, bossed around, or treated as inferior? (Matt 5:41)... OUCH!
- Servants think like stewards, not owners. Servants remember God owns it all. In the Bible, a steward was a servant entrusted to manage an estate. That's a good parallel to our lives today. To become a real servant you are going to have to settle the issue of money in your life. When Jesus is my Master, money serves me, but if money is my master I become it's slave Wealth is not a sin, but the love of money-failing to use it for God's glory is The Bible is clear: God uses money to test your faithfulness as a servant... Do I put my money where my mouth is?
- Servants think about their work, not what others are doing. They don't compare, criticize, or compete with other servants or ministries. They're too busy doing the work God has given them. Here's an important point... if every seat in every church in Rochester was filled, there would still be a lot of cars in Wegman's parking lot on a Sunday morning. If you serve Jesus, you can expect to be criticized. The world, and even much of the church, does not understand what God values. And people get wrapped around the axles because, "we've never done it that way". Your service for Christ is never wasted regardless of what others say. Public opinion will change like the wind. Focus on the audience of One - pleasing Him.
- Servants bsed their identities in Christ. Because they remember that they are loved and accepted by grace, servants don't have to prove their worth. Jesus washed the disciples feet. Only secure people can serve. Insecure people are always worrying about how they appear to others. They fear exposure of their weaknesses and hide beneath layers of protective pride and pretensions. (2 Corinthians 10:18)The closer you get to Jesus, the less you need to promote yourself.
- Servants think of ministry as an opportunity, not an obligation. They enjoy helping people, meeting needs, and doing ministry. They "serve the Lord with gladness" (Ps 100:2), because they love the Lord, they're grateful for His grace, they know that serving is the highest use of live, and they know God has promised a reward. They have the long-term eternal perspective in mind.
And that's why this is a lifelong process - the changing of my mind to be "conformed to the image of His Son". Imagine what could happen if just 20 people at CBF... or even 200 people in Rochester, got serious about their role as servants. I'm thinking that some peoples' lives would never be the same. Today is a new day to start!
"Gracious Father, help me to think as a true serant today. I need Your help - that I would have the proper focus - not on the opinions or praise or comparisons of others, but the tenacity to do what You've called me to do today. I desire to show my love for You by caring for others in my world. Amen
According to Hebrews 6:10, how do I show my love for God? What is one way I can begin denying myself and put the needs of others above mine? Am I usually more concerned about being served or finding ways to serve others?
“Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others.” I Peter 4:10 (NIV)
