There’s more to life than our flesh lets us feel and perceive. That explains why a Christian shouldn’t joke with the act of staying, constantly, in touch with the Holy Spirit and the Word of God. For in the place of sweet communion with the Holy Spirit and the Word, we (Christians) find the true culture of God’s kingdom; true norms, values and beliefs of the Kingdom of God. And when we find and understand the culture of the Kingdom, we should be willing to live accordingly and we should ask for Grace to live out our discoveries. We ask for Grace because we live in a world that doesn’t want the culture of God’s kingdom and we live in a body that wants what the world wants. So, Grace is the enabling force we need to make it work, while in this world and in our body.
The culture of God’s kingdom won’t change. It will last forever. It will also not reduce its standard. It won’t. It just won’t. It will remain the way it is, forever. What this means is; we are the ones that need to adjust to the culture. We are the ones that need to change and keep changing to fit into the culture. If the culture says to move “right” we move right…if it says to move “left” we move left. When the culture says to do something, we do it…not the way we find it comfortable or convenient…we do it the exact way the kingdom tells us to do it. When you think and believe the standard of the kingdom is too high, the kingdom says, “There’s Grace. Ask and you’ll receive, abundantly.”
Every now and then, when we see this world and see the values of God’s Kingdom, we should just try to remember that though the kingdom wouldn’t force anyone to accept its culture; it won’t reduce its standard for anyone…for any reason. As much as it is an exclusively reserved for the willing hearts, it wants the willing hearts to meet its standards and values…at the level they are.
Why am I saying all of these?
Because, in this post, the area we’ll be looking at in the culture of God’s kingdom is an area that might be a bit hard for us to accept. I say “hard” because it is only in recent years that I’m beginning to understand and accept areas like this. And to be fair, I’ve seen… and still seeing quite a number of Christians that were and are like “just-the-few-years-ago” me.
I woke up in the morning of 14th October 2019, and I felt the peace and strong will to do a post about Service…about having a servant heart. I’m not writing based on experiences or what I want to hear. I’m writing about the things, according to the scriptures, that dropped in my spirit as I meditated on what having a servant heart meant…for the one who has accepted the Lordship of Christ Jesus.
You ready?
I’m guessing you are…so, let’s dive right into it.
What does it mean to have a Servant heart?
There are various definitions that might come to mind when we try to understand the meaning of service and having a servant heart. In this context however, we’re looking at service from the Biblical point of view. Having a servant heart, in this context, means: meeting the needs of others…meeting the needs in a particular environment…being very useful to others…being very useful in the place you’re planted, say at home, at work, at church etc…doing more than what is expected and required of you…helping others…providing for others….making the places you are more alive, effective and beautiful…knowing and getting involved in other people’s interest…being selfless…killing selfishness…sincerely looking at for other people…giving in your very best with a godly character and countenance…without complains or any other negativity…giving in all you’ve got…especially as it relates to the Kingdom and to people in the kingdom.
The above phrases and many more than are related to them point towards the angle we’re looking at service from.
The goal on earth, for every Christian, is to keep becoming like Jesus Christ. Hence, it is to Him we should look up to, always
Jesus is the Author and Finisher of our FAITH. He is the beginning, the end and all of the details that lies in-between the beginning and the end. So, when we talk about having a servant heart, it is to Him we should look up to. Good thing is; He came on earth…lived, died, resurrected…and left the blueprint. He didn’t just leave the blueprint, He actually said, through the disciples He left on earth, that we should use the blueprint as a standard for our own lives. And again, whatever the Bible asks us to do, isn’t a suggestion…it’s always a command…a command that is not forced on anyone, but reserved for willing hearts.
In Paul’s letter to the Philippians, we see what the blueprint of service looks like, and we also see that God wants us to follow this blueprint that Jesus left for us. Here is what the Bible says in Philippians 2:4-9, “Let each of you look not only to his own interest, but also to the interest of others. Let this same attitude and purpose and [humble] mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus —Let Him be your example in humility—who although being essentially one with God [possessing the Fullness of the attributes which make God God], did not think this equality with God was a thing to be eagerly grasped or retained; But stripped Himself [of all privileges and rightful dignity] so as to assume the guise of a servant (slave) in that He became like men and was born a human being. And after He had appeared in human form, He abased and humbled Himself (still further) and carried His obedience to the extreme of death, even the death of the cross! Therefore, [because He stooped so low], God has highly exalted Him and has freely bestowed on Him the name that is above every name.” (AMPC)
The above passage from the Bible pretty much says it all. If we can just spent time to mediate on the above scripture, we’ll be more than fine. We’ll truly understand God’s heart towards service. We’ll see that serving means we have to strip away self and come down to the level where the need is. We’ll see that serving isn’t always comfortable and convenient…for even Jesus wished the cup could pass away. We’ll see that it will be painful, insulting, and humiliating at times…for even Jesus endured the pain of the cross, was insulted and humiliated. We’ll definitely see that a servant heart is at the core of our faith walk. We’ll also see, that there’s a call on our lives to be exactly like Jesus.
When God gives us a platform…He expects us to serve…and at every point in life, we always have a platform
Before God, anywhere He has planted us is a platform to fulfill His will. It might not look that way to us, because it might not be comfortable, cozy, grand and fancy as we want and expect it, but it doesn’t change the fact that if that’s where God has planted us, He wants us to serve there. It doesn’t change the fact that someday we’ll stand before our Creator to give account of every platform He gave us.
Jesus experienced the beautiful, best, good, bad and ugly while He was on earth as human. It is pretty much cool, from my imagination, to: chase demons, heal the sick, heal the blind, raise the dead, have the crowd chasing you up and down, be a person everyone wants to listen to, ride on a donkey and having the crowd shouting ‘hosanna’ ‘hosanna.’ But through all of these, Jesus had a servant heart. He stay focused on His mission. And when the beautiful experiences moved down to ugly, His servant heart didn’t change. He could have called ten thousand angels to destroy all who persecuted Him, “but He stripped Himself of privileges and rightful dignity so as to assume the guise of a servant.” “Although being essentially one with God” He chose to be a servant in other to reconcile man back to God.
“If then, your Lord and Teacher (Master) have washed your feet, you ought—it is your duty, you are under obligation, you owe it—to wash one another’s feet.” John 13:14 (AMPC)
Where are you? What are you doing in the place you are? How are you doing it?
What position do you copy? What are you doing with the position?
Who are the people in your life? How do you treat them? What do you say to them? What do you do to them? How do you say what you say to them? How do you do what you do to them? If we can ask them about you and promise not to reveal their identity, what will they say about you?
What are you doing with your gifts and talents? Are you serving with them or you’re flaunting them…and just want to gain the attention or applause of the world?
Why do you own a business? How do you run your business?
How are you building your career? Why are you even building that career in the first place?
Do you just do things to get money or you truly want to add value and improve the lives of people?
What are you so passionate about? Why are you so passionate about it?
Why are you not happy with the place you’re in? Is it because it’s not grand? Why do want to leave where you are by all means? Isn’t there anything God will have you do there? Aren’t there so many opportunities to be a light and just serve God and humanity?
We live in a world where everyone wants everything good for themselves, first. We tend to forget that it is possible for God to ask us to give unto others what we want for ourselves, first. We refuse to believe that God can have us do things that will stretch us so hard, yet to benefit others more than it’ll benefit us here on earth. We often forget that the Lord of our lives (Jesus) didn’t have to come down on earth, but He did anyway. He didn’t go through the pain for Himself. He came and took our place, so we can have a joint-sitting with Him in the heavenly places.
This Jesus has called us to be like Him, even in this area of serving. He wants us to have a servant heart wherever we find ourselves.
“For you, brethren, were [indeed] called to freedom; only [do not let your freedom] be an incentive to your flesh and an opportunity or excuse [for selfishness], but through love you should serve one another.” Galatians 5:13 (AMPC)
As Christians, we’re staff of heaven…and we serve as unto the Lord…wherever God will have us be, whenever He’ll have us serve, to whomever He’ll have us serve
We have to truly understand that life is a mission and that God has given us our various assignments, and that our assignments have different stages, and that at the heart of our assignments is service…and we serve as unto the Lord. We have to learn to push away the faces, places and circumstances and just understand that we’re doing it for God…not for anyone, not for anything. We have to learn to do it the way we would do it, if Jesus was standing physically beside us, encouraging and cheering us on.
So, if we’re assigned to a place or a person, we go as Christ’s ambassadors. We go as Christ’s representatives that are ready to show our excellent service delivery. We go, understanding we’re representing a kingdom that is established by LOVE Himself (God) and in Love. So we judge our service delivery with the expressions of the Fruit of the Holy Spirit; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, and self-control (Galatians 5:22).
Have you ever met a well-trained customer service personnel? No matter what, no matter whom… they’re obligated to hold up the values and standards of their organization. Curse them if you want to, be rude, be entirely wrong…and they’ll still act the way their organization has instructed them to act. They don’t always feel like smiling, but they’ll do it anyway. They don’t have to be in the wrong, but they’ll just keep throwing apologies everywhere. If people that work for earthly organizations can be this disciplined, we (people that believe and have accepted the Lordship of Christ) should do better…way better.
People and places don’t have to be at their best before we give our best. They don’t have to applaud us before we give in our best. As a matter of fact, some times, they’ll say and believe we’re not doing anything. They will criticize and condemn us, but we still give in our best because we’re doing it for God…we’re doing it as unto the Lord.
Colossians 3:23 says, “Whatsoever may be your task, work at it heartily (from the soul), as [something done] for the Lord and not for men.” (AMPC)
You don’t have to worry about saving yourself from abusive people. When you’re serving as unto the Lord, God, all by Himself, knows how to protect you from people that will try to use your servant heart to achieve their selfish desires. And if God allows the abuse to come, you have to understand that it is for a good reason and you have to trust God through it all. Until it was Jesus’ time to go to the cross, the Pharisees couldn’t get a hold of Him. They did everything possible to get Jesus, but they couldn’t outsmart Jesus. And when it was His time? He, willingly, endured the pain. That same covering that Jesus had is also available for us…for you.
While you’re busy looking at for others, and making places better…Jesus is busy looking at for you
Yes! That’s what makes the kingdom of God so interesting and beautiful. God will tell you to let go, and when you ask, “what if I fall?” He says, “You won’t, because I’ll catch you.”
Most times, the reason we’re not getting all we are already blessed with is because we’re afraid to give our all to Jesus. So, we have given Him so many (as we like to think), but then we want to hold onto a very little part. But, that’s not how it works in the Kingdom of God. 99% of obedience is still disobedience before God. When God says, “Go and kill everything” don’t save the king and the fat of rams, even if you intend to sacrifice the fat of rams back to God. Let’s stop putting ourselves in a position where we don’t want and can’t get anything from the devil, yet we allow the devil keep us away from our portion in Christ.
When we serve others and places in honour of Jesus, Jesus rewards us for it. Here are some different ways the Bible says it:
“…it is more blessed—makes one happier and more to be envied— to give than to receive.” Acts 20:35 (AMPC)
“Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.” Proverbs 11:25 (ESV)
“For God is not unrighteous to forget or overlook your labour of love which you have shown for His name’s sake in ministering to the needs of the saints—His own consecrated people— as you still do.” Hebrews 6:10 (AMPC)
There’s no questioning whether we’ll be rewarded for the things we do. We’ll be rewarded, maybe, here on earth (because some of our rewards won’t show on earth) and definitely when we get to heaven. We have to wake up each day, asking God to show us areas to serve. At work, at home, in church, wherever God has placed us, there’s a need to be met. When we find and see those needs, we have to remove everything else and serve as unto the Lord.
If you can’t seem to find any need, then what is your current responsibility? What is your responsibility wherever you are? Do it as unto the Lord. Serve as a staff of heaven. Do it like you’re doing it for and with Jesus. Serve with your words and actions. Your life will never remain the same.
Service is for the Great
“He who is greatest among you shall be your servant.” Matthew 23:11 (AMPC)
“And whoever wishes to be most important and first in rank among you must be the slaves of all. For even the Son of man came not to have service rendered to Him, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for (instead of) many.” Mark 10:44-45 (AMPC)
A servant heart is a sign of greatness. Forget what your flesh wants you to believe or what the world says, greatness lies in the place of service. We don’t have to argue it any further because the above scriptures say it all…and more importantly, the life of Jesus proves it all.
So, dear Great one, let me leave you with a question; are you serving…as unto the Lord?
My prayer for you:
I pray you understand that as a child of God you already have a servant heart. I pray you wake up each day, with a willingness to do all you do as unto the Lord. And may you find Grace to serve.
As you serve, may you experience a better dimension of God’s power in your life.
Amen.
Do get in the gym and do
Stay Spiritually Fit.
