Because Jesus did. "Even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45 ESV). If the King of the universe picked up a towel and washed feet, none of us are too important to stack chairs.
Jesus flipped the world's idea of greatness: "Whoever would be great among you must be your servant" (Matthew 20:26 ESV). Here's how I say it: If serving is below you, promotion is beyond you.
My first full-time ministry job was as a missionary in Africa. One night at dinner, the missionary I worked for asked me to grab something from her car, then told her friend, "See, he's my little errand boy." In a split second, I thought of a lot of snarky responses, and a few that might have landed me in jail. Instead, I got what she needed, sat back down and shut up. I was there to serve. Want to know if you have a servant's heart? Watch how you respond when someone treats you like a servant.
You might be thinking, "But what would I even do?" Ask, "What's in my hand?" Every one of us has something:
Your skills. Whatever you're good at, someone needs it. The mechanic who changes a single mom's oil. The accountant who helps a young couple build a budget. If you play an instrument, join the worship team!
Your gifts. The Spirit gave you gifts "to serve one another" (1 Peter 4:10 ESV). And your gifts only come alive when you use them.
Your time. Sit with the hurting person after church. Get there early and set up.
Your words. Every Sunday at our Serve Team huddle, we give someone a shout-out. You'd be shocked what a simple word of gratitude does to someone's heart.
And here's the best part: when you serve in your gift, you're worshipping. Serving isn't another thing to do. It's one of the most important things you do. God designed you for it. "For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago" (Ephesians 2:10 NLT).
At Pillars, we're a portable church, so every Sunday someone sets up a church in a school and tears it back down. There's a spot on the team for you. Reach out, and let's find it.
Scripture: Mark 10:45; Matthew 20:26–28; John 13:1–17; 1 Peter 4:10; Ephesians 2:10; Galatians 6:10