Servanthood

In a world where many of our relationships are via Facebook, Twitter, Gchat, and more, we’re faced with truly identifying with one another. In our “busy” lives, we find it easier to push those friends and family members away, rather than inviting them into the struggles of our lives. Spending some time with the Lord this morning, I realized how easy it’s become for me to rely on technology for furthering my relationships rather than face to face communication. Living with one another in brotherly love has been replaced with living with a computer or a television. Even people that live in the same house or apartment are disconnected from each other. In my own life I find that if my roommate can’t hear me from the next room, I’ll call her up rather than walk the 10 feet to the room she’s in. How ridiculous and LAZY of me!

As I read a daily devotional this morning I recognized the sin of avoidance in my own life. The sin of refusing to serve those around me. In Mark 10 it says, "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many". Christ himself came to this earth to serve. And how can one serve if they’re completely disconnected from the community that surrounds them? We’re too busy with our Blackberry’s, our TV shows, our Facebook status to really see the needs of those that are standing right beside us. What if a smile from us or a kind word completely changes someone’s outlook on life? The fact of the matter is that as Christians, we should be living as Christ in every circumstance. Impossible as it seems, inviting the Holy Spirit into our lives to help us see and meet a need of someone around us is powerful and at work today. What we need to remember is that we, in our messed up lives, may very well be the only Jesus someone sees in a day, a month, a year, or ever – so we better do it right.

What does serving others look like? It’s as simple as a smile or holding the door for someone. It’s turning off our cell phones when we’re meeting someone for coffee or hanging up the phone when we’re paying for our groceries. It’s starting a sincere conversation with the person on the other side of the table. It’s offering (And following through) someone the help they need when they’re moving. It’s taking care of someone else’s kids. It’s picking up a mess that isn’t yours. It’s listening attentively when someone is hurting. It’s rejoicing in the blessings of others. It’s showing love and grace when all you want to do is hate the person. It’s sacrificing your time and energy for the betterment of someone else. It’s giving away the money you have and the things you own. It’s giving a hug. It’s inviting the neighbors over for dinner. It’s anything and everything that will bless, encourage, and serve someone else.

This whole idea is crazy hard to fall in line with. In a world of demands and pressure, we often forget or get too distracted to see the person sitting right beside us. We get so wrapped up in our own minds and lives that we have the blinders on for anything but us. There’s a challenging, yet great book that I’m reading called The Screwtape Letters, by C.S. Lewis. It shows how satan uses little distractions in our life to prevent us from doing the work of God. How he infiltrates our brains and hearts with doubts and questions, leading us to believe that we’re the most important thing in the world. Well, if each human has that mentality, it’s no wonder people don’t care about those being abused in front of them. It’s for this reason that we need to be extremely aware of our thoughts and ask Christ to hold them captive, and ask for us to keep our eyes on His desires for us.

“Do you want to stand out? Then step down a be a servant.” – Matt. 23:11

Now, ask for the Holy Spirit to direct you towards the needs of someone around you. Then do your best to meet them.