Becoming a servant…being the man of God He has called you to be.

We have been looking at being transformed into new men. How? By cultivating a deeper relationship with our first love. With Jesus as the firm foundation of our lives we will be able to weather any storm that comes our way. Only when we find our true love, can we love others the way they deserve to be loved. Remember, you can only give away what you have. Becoming like our master requires something of us. Daily we must choose to lay aside our agenda’s, selfish motives and wait to hear His heart. We need the help of the Holy Spirit every moment of every day. If we depend on our own strength we will fail every time! Remember it’s “Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of Hosts.” Zech 4:6 We receive him by faith and when we take up our cross everyday we are saying yes Lord! There are no padded crosses…Jesus didn’t have one and neither do we! A season of transformation may not be fun, but denying ourselves, and dealing with our selfish desires is necessary! Pain may endure for the night, but Joy comes in the morning! Only then can His love pour out over us and into the lives of those who are most dear to us...and ultimately His world. The world is waiting for this Love. 

Today I want to talk about the simple act of being a servant. What is a real servant? It is someone who sees a need, and selflessly takes care of that need. Being a servant is demonstrating His love through our actions. Something radical happens to us as we learn to live in His presence…true servants are born. Jesus was a servant. It was His calling…His destiny. He knew who He was and why he was here. Unfortunately, many of us look at serving as a way to promotion. And although it is the fastest way to be promoted being a servant is not about you. Serving is an expression of His love within you.  When you begin to realize what being a servant is really about you begin to see and do things differently. Serving is not just for churches or for serving a man or woman of God! Serving should not begin and end once we walk out of church on Sundays…it should be reflected in our lives. 

Men…if you see a need at home, then by all means fill it immediately! Don’t let your wives do everything! You know what will happen if you don’t? They will do it…they are just built that way. If they see you are not helping they will just do it themselves. My earthly father was the greatest example to me of who a servant is. He always helped my mother, because when he saw there was a need, he would take care of it without being asked to do it. He was no less of a man because he picked up the vacuum, dusted, and washed toilets.  He demonstrated the art of being a servant and I learned a lot from him early in my life. But, as I became a man I realized something very important. It took me a while to see that just because my father was a good servant didn’t mean that I was one. I realized that being a servant was a matter of choice. Colossians 3:2 reminds us that to be successful in what God has called us to do we must set our mind to do it…and then it becomes our job to keep it set no matter what comes our way. It is our responsibility to walk in integrity. If we promise to do something…then we must do it. Being a servant means we are committed! If we commit to something…we do it whether or not we “feel” like it. When we say for better or for worse…we are saying I am committed to you no matter what.  Serving is being committed to love…being bound to Jesus. It is humbling yourself to wash the feet of those who are around you every day! Thank God for His mercy, grace, and power.

How do we begin? Begin today by setting your mind. Choose today to look for an unmet need and fill it…without being asked! Set your mind today to begin to work out what God is doing on the inside of you. Don’t limit your acts of service to your home or church. Begin to ask God to help you see ways to serve people everywhere that you go! You may think I’m crazy but if I am at a store or in a public restroom, if there is trash on the floor I pick it up. Begin to change the way you think about things. I always think about the person who has to pick up that mess…I see a need and I meet it. What about parking lots? Have you ever noticed shopping carts that have never been returned? Or have you ever left yours there? Maybe you say they pay someone to do that job. Yes they do…but I see it as an opportunity to honor and show value. Serving takes our eyes off of ourselves and empowers us to begin to see things the way God sees them. For God so loved that He gave!  God is a giver…not a taker. Serve physically, financially, prayerfully. If you see that your wife is having a bad day then pray for her. Begin to serve your family by covering them in the blood of Jesus daily. Pray for their needs…without them or anyone else ever knowing it. 

Christ came to earth to be a servant. He said in Luke 22:27, “For who is greater, the one at the table or the one serving? Isn’t it the one at the table?  But I am among you as the One who serves.” The word declares that Jesus only did what He saw His Father in heaven doing. The Son modeled His father and when we model Christ we also model our father God in heaven.  Remember when the disciples were arguing about who among them was the greatest?  Jesus first asked them “what are you arguing about”? They did not answer Him. (I’m sure because they felt bad.) He called them in sat them down and said, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be last of all and a servant of all.”  Mark 9:35 Jesus taught us that the greatest form of being a servant is to deny ourselves and place the needs of others before our own. 

True humility is not self-seeking and it does not look for a reward. It is not going around looking for others to congratulate you for the great service that you do. It is doing it for the love of Him and the love of others.

We are in a process of becoming the new man. We are being transformed into the image of Christ with the help of the Holy Spirit. He is enabling us to become true servants by living a life of intimacy and taking up our cross daily to serve others.

Pray this prayer with me. Father forgive me if I have not been the servant that you called me to be. Holy Spirit help me begin to see areas where I have been selfish in my desires. Fill me with your love and with your heart.  Holy Spirit help me keep my mind set…help me keep the commitments that I make. Let my yes be yes and help me keep my word! Jesus help me to become the servant that you were. I want to honor you above all things.  Amen.

 I pray right now that you hear the voice and words of your Father in heaven saying, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.”