“And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men.” Colossians 3:23
At Christmas, we celebrate the greatest act of service the world has ever known—God Himself becoming flesh to serve mankind.
“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45
The entire story of Christmas is God stooping low—becoming man, washing feet, feeding the hungry, healing the broken, and giving Himself completely so we might live. Service, then, is not just something we do—it’s the character of Christ being formed in us. It’s one of the greatest gifts God gives to keep our hearts aligned with His. The beauty of service is that it blesses not just the receiver, but it immeasurably blesses the giver.
In fact, service out of our love for God heals a self-focused broken heart!
Loneliness, discouragement, jealousy, and bitterness all grow in the soil of self-focus. When our eyes turn inward, our world becomes small. Serving others reminds us that our life has purpose beyond our own needs and comfort. The lonely find companionship. The anxious find peace. The broken-hearted find joy. Why? Because in serving others, we are walking in God’s will and His Spirit is our closest confidant, protector, lover, counselor, and sustainer! Service changes how we think. It transforms self-centered emotion into outward love. It moves us from asking, “Who will take care of me?” to “How can I take care of them?” And in that exchange, the Spirit fills our emptiness with His joy.
Service manifests itself in many forms. Sometimes, service means rolling up our sleeves and doing the unseen work—praying, making a meal, sending a note, teaching a class, or visiting the sick. Other times, it’s planting a seed of faith that God will grow through someone else. For example, when God placed the idea of Fostering by Faith on my heart through a colleague, Laura Kriebs, an attorney who serves as Guardian Ad Litem in our circuit, I knew He was calling me to start it. I had no idea how. I knew I didn’t have the time or the money. But I also felt God’s peace going before me. What I didn’t know was that the work was not for me—but for my dear friend, Joy Hinkle. I never met her until she walked into our law office one day and volunteered to be part of it. Instead, God put her in charge.
God’s plan was bigger than my vision.
It always is. He used me to plant, and He is using Joy to water. This is the beautiful mystery of divine service: It doesn’t belong to us; we are simply stewards of the work He initiates.
My friend, we may never see the full fruit of our service this side of Heaven, but when we’re serving with the right motivation—we don’t need to. God’s glory is our highest calling. When John the Baptist obeyed God’s call, he never saw the full fruit of his ministry—he performed no miracles, yet his faithful witness pointed many to Jesus long after he was gone. When we serve from love rather than recognition, we plant seeds that God may cause others to harvest. But we share in their reward. The eternal outcome of service doesn’t depend on who finishes the work—it depends on faithfulness to God’s call.
When we serve out of love for God, not recognition from people, our acts become eternal spiritual treasure. Service born from gratitude and love for the One who saved us, IS worship. Every humble act—whether sweeping floors, mentoring a child, giving anonymously, or founding a ministry—becomes an offering. We were created to be the hands and feet of Jesus. The enemy loves idle minds because they drift toward despair. But minds engaged in serving can’t easily fall into darkness—they’re too busy shining light.
Service keeps our mind and attitudes healthy!
One of the hidden blessings of service is that it disciplines the mind. When we actively care for others, we train ourselves to look outward rather than inward. The more we do this, the less room there is for destructive emotions to fester. Paul understood this when he wrote:
“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.” Philippians 2:3
True service isn’t slavery—it’s freedom because it releases us from the bondage of self.
Do a “weigh-In” inventory on yourself!
I took a few quiet moments to ask myself the following questions in order to reveal my motivations. It’s a weigh-in I need to do daily!
- Am I serving to be seen, or to PURELY glorify Christ?
- Does my service bring me closer to Jesus—or make me feel burdened?
- Who is being spiritually strengthened by my service?
- Am I willing to plant seeds and let GOD decide who waters and reaps?
- Is my service helping me focus less my comfort, and my problems, and more on God’s Divine purpose?
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for the precious gift of service. Thank You for letting me be Your hands in a world that desperately needs Your touch. Help me to serve with pure motives—out of love for You and compassion for others. When I’m tempted to turn inward, lift my eyes to You. Use my time, talents, and heart to build Your Kingdom, even if I never see the harvest. Teach me to plant seeds faithfully and to trust You for the growth. May my service bring You glory and bring others hope. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
