Jesus’ life was one of service. Paul taught that Jesus “made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men” (Philippians 2:7). He came to serve humanity in its time of need, and in doing so He left an example for His people. To live the Christian life is to about conforming oneself to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29).
To serve like Jesus one must be concerned with the needs of others. Jesus himself said, "whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward" (Matt 10:42). He was not instructing His disciples to do the least they could, He was showing the importance of meeting people’s needs no matter how small.
Service is one way Christians express the love of God toward others. “You are the light of the world…let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matt 5:14-16). "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13:35). When Christians serve, others see Christ in their good works.
God has blessed His people with talents and abilities (Matt 25:14-46), yet often these abilities are used only to better one’s station in life. God’s plan however, is that they be used as means to serve others, for His glory. The question that should be on the lips of every Christian is, “How can I help?”
When this question is asked, it is often the case that many people will not know how to answer it. To discover ways to help:
- Listen and observe. What is needed is often easily seen, but remember to pay attention to the little things. When little things add up they can create quite a load. Helping in “little ways” can add up, as well.
- Rely on your own experiences. We have all had different experiences and remember what helped and didn’t help during those times. Maybe God allowed you to go through something so you could help others.
- Pray and ask God for His guidance. God always knows what to do!
- Josh Allen (Pikeville, KY)