The practice of Service is a way of offering time, resources, influence and expertise to care for others.
Then he said, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You address me as ‘Teacher’ and ‘Master,’ and rightly so. That is what I am. So if I, the Master and Teacher, washed your feet, you must now wash each other’s feet. I’ve laid down a pattern for you. What I’ve done, you do. I’m only pointing out the obvious. A servant is not ranked above his master; an employee doesn’t give orders to the employer. If you understand what I’m telling you, act like it—and live a blessed life. John 13: 12-17
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Matthew 22:37-39
Luke 10 – the Good Samaritan story
Ways to practice:
- Find practical, hands on ways of making someone’s life easier – share food, help clean, give a ride, listen well, repair something broken, visit someone sick, care for children…
- Set up or take down an event.
- Do ‘family chores’ at church.
- Every morning for two weeks, ask your roommate, spouse or colleague, What can I do for you today? Then do that thing. Take time to reflect with God about how you experience this.
- Use your influence and networks to make life better for others.
What results might we expect?
- Chances to obey God’s call to care for widows, orphans and the oppressed.
- Chances to obey Jesus’ commands to love others as we love ourselves.
- Closer community connections with our friends, neighbors, church family as we serve them.
- Growing humility, as we serve quietly, and in hidden ways,.
- Being the blessing and presence of God as we live lives of service that affect people and systems.
“Everybody can be great because everybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love.” Martin Luther King, Jr.
For more exploration of service:
https://anchorcitysd.files.wordpress.com/2017/10/richard-foster-the-discipline-of-service.pdf