As Christians we are God’s children. We have entered that status both by birth and adoption. Thus, twice over we are securely in God’s family as His sons and daughters. This week, the Bible further describes us as God’s servants — being His children suggests certain privileges, but being His servants suggests certain responsibilities.
As God’s servants we are to serve Him by serving others, as admonished in Galatians 5:13, “Through love serve one another.”
Immediately, this responsibility is not met out of a sense of obligation but out of the higher motivation of love — love both for God and those we serve on His behalf. The Christian family, then, is a fellowship of mutual service in that we both serve others and are served by others.
Motivated by love
Motivated by love, our service for God is to be wholehearted — never halfheartedly or reluctantly — rendered. Romans 12:11–12 admonishes believers to be “not lagging in diligence” but “fervent in spirit, serving the Lord” in such practical ways as “distributing to the needs of the saints” and being “given to hospitality.”
Forever inscribed in Scripture is the testimony about early church members in the aftermath of the Spirit’s coming at Pentecost. The servant spirit demonstrated itself as they served God by serving others, described in Acts 2:44–45: “Now all who believed … sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.”
Faithful, loving service to others paves the road that leads to the honor that counts — from God, not from the world.
Jesus put it like this: “If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor” (John 12:26). What higher reward can anyone imagine than to be honored by God?
Be ready to serve
As God’s servants, we are to be always available and ready to serve by doing His will. A picturesque description of readiness is found in Psalm 32:8 where the Lord says, “I will guide you with My eye.”
Such should be our willingness and readiness to serve that we do not have to have needs pointed out or instructions verbalized — only the Master’s glance in the direction of need is sufficient for faithful servants to take notice and move immediately to help. The presence of need is all the motivation God’s people require to be His servants.
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