I am about to start just titling all of my blogs with Service...part 1, 2, a million... :) God is doing big things my friends. I feel so flattened by God's goodness and also by what He continues to reveal to me time and time again. So right now...I'm going to take a few, (maybe alot) of minutes to kind of unpack what God is doing. So grab a comfy chair...and maybe some green tea (that's really for me...love that stuff), and get ready to hear what God is doing!
Let's start off with a little question. Say we're sitting face to face, sipping on some green tea (sorry can't get over that sweet Arizona goodness!), talking about God's goodness when bam...I ask the question..."so my friend..just what is service?" I know, I know, it's cruel to pull out those dreaded, explain this in your own words and hopefully you will impress someone with your answer kind of questions but say I did. Would you run away screaming? (If so I hope you paid for that tea... :) or would you boldly announce your definition of service to me so that I would offer to pay for your tea? (Ok...I'll stop the beverage talk now.) Regardless of what you would do, I really would love to know what my precious brothers and sisters believe service is. Because for so long...I never really knew.
The Websters Dictionary defines the word"serve" as: to be of use, to be favorable, opportune, or convenient, to be worthy of reliance or trust. Service is the act of those listed above. Now take that definition and compare it to "servant," which is defined as the act of serving others. The technical definitions of service are fine and even in some cases good for us to go by. But I want to take a little look at a different and much better Book for the definition of service. Let's go to one of my favorite books written by the apostle Paul, Philippians.
"In your relationships with one another, have the same attitude of mind Christ Jesus had: Who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness." 2:6-7
This next passage doesn't directly address the word service but it screams it through the actions that are commanded!
"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others." 2:3-4
I could go throughout the whold Bible and find story after story about beautiful serving hands...from Jesus washing his own disciples feet to the Good Samaritan taking care of the brusied and naked man that everyone passed but him. You see, service is not just an action...it is a lifestyle. Jesus was the ultimate example of serving. I mean hello...just take a look at the cross and crown of thorns he wors in our place. He served us, loved us, saved us...before he even knew us. God himself created service...and who are we to decline the invitation, the honor, to be able to serve and love his people? I cannot be anything but humbled by this as I type it...God pressed and pressed my heart with this lesson until I finally stood in awe and whispered "I understand." When I think of service I see my Jesus, in His beauty and total love on his knees, towel at the ready, washing his beloved disciples feet. I see Him speaking to the adultress, with a fierce tenderness in his eyes as her life changes before him, I see Him healing the blind man, and I see him on the cross. I cannot list of all of the ways Jesus served but I can say that Christ is what Christ offers. He offered his life. God gives us His love daily...isn't that service?
My prayer has been and continues to be that not only will God open any door on a daily basis for me to serve...but that He will make the desire greater than anything I have ever wanted. That I will live it, breathe, and drink service in everyday, every hour. I have been blessed to be surrounded by awesome people that inspire this fire for serving and my prayer is that God will provide you all with people like them!
I always say that compassion is love in action...it's time to live it out guys. Join me in this, we will not regret it.
Love you guys!
"Canvas is a bank piece of life. Waiting for someone to throw color and ambition on it. It waits anxiously for itself to come to life. Now is the time. Let the journey begin."
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