The Joy of Serving

“It shall not be so among you; but whoever wants to become great among you shall be your servant, And whoever wants to be first among you shall be your slave; Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:26-28, RecVer)

The Lord Jesus came to serve and not to be served. What a pattern! If the Son of God Himself came to serve, who am I not to serve? The Lord set the record straight and there is no question on service at all; all must serve. 

In the past few weeks, the Lord gave me the opportunity to serve. In the middle of the proofreading in Hyderabad many saints have fallen sick, including myself for two days, and many others followed suit. It was like a flu spreading. Yet when I got well, I had the grace and the blessing to serve. Three of the saints who came from abroad also had fallen sick to the extent that they had to quarantine themselves for their safety and for the sake of others. That was a good opportunity for me to serve. In fact, a blessing in disguise, practically in the matter of serving them food, three meals a day. I had the privilege and honor to make the food ready on time and deliver the food to the sick saints in their room. I did it all with joy! Besides running around to meet the immediate and practical day to day need of buying medicines and food items, I was in a-kind-of being in pressure but not pressured. I took the Lord as my wisdom and grace to carry out all my responsibilities. I did all that with joy! No exaggeration, I truly meant it.

Amidst the busy service schedule, when I was informed to minister among the seekers in Madhya Pradesh, I ministered on the joy of serving.

Quoting the Lord’s word as the truth points, I ministered on serving the Lord by serving the saints, beginning with minial jobs. If one cannot serve in practical homely matters, it is hard to expect from such a one to serve in the ministry of the word. I do not believe that a minister would be so anointed by the Lord that he altogether neglect his human ministry of serving in practical daily and homely matters. Yes, the Lord is the greatest minister yet He also served people and his disciples. He healed, preached, and taught, at the same time, He also washed His disciples' foot. He is God Himself yet He served practically too. Stephen was a faithful steward filled with the Holy Spirit and ministered the word with power and authority. 

Many Christians, especially brothers, are spiritually blind in wanting to be leaders without the heart of serving. Many brothers are ambitious to be somebody in the Lord’s work. What a shame! No true servant of the Lord would be ambitious for leadership, yet the Lord will make them leaders. Even when the Lord made them leaders they would humbly serve as though they are not leaders at all. That is a proper attitude. 

Only the spiritually blind ones would fight for leadership. The more they fight ambitiously the more they are disqualified to be leaders. Only the one whom the Lord appoints and annoints will be leaders, not to exert authority and rule over others but to lead as a pattern in serving. Such is the need of the day. May the Lord recover all the saints to simply serve as slaves not looking for position and not being ambitious at all.

When one has proper attitude concerning serving, his service will be full of life and joy. Lord, grace us to serve You with joy. O the joy of serving!