Live to Serve

Philippians 2:1-4 (MSG) If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care— then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.

How many times a day are we thinking about ourselves? What we can buy for ourselves, what we will wear, what we will eat, what we want to do on the weekend and so on. Then let's think about how often we have the needs of others are on our mind… how can I bless someone today? Who can I buy a gift for? Whose lunch can I pay for today? Who can I give some of my clothing to? How many people can I bless while driving - letting someone else go ahead of me rather than racing to my own destination?

These are not thoughts that will naturally come to mind if we aren't being intentional in our thinking. Our world is full of advertisements that are self-pleasing. In order to retrain our brain, we have to really choose to do something for someone else each day. The enemy would love for us to continue living for ourselves and never give a thought to someone else. God designed us to help others, when we do, it actually blesses us and gives us a sense of satisfaction that cannot be matched by any other means.

Fulfilling your calling will always include helping people. If you are called to worship, to preach, to teach, to clean, to cook or whatever it may be, if you are not helping others through your giftings, you will be left feeling empty. We have to love others without hidden motives. Be genuine and true. Live a life of giving and serving and you will find fulfillment in each day. Let's step outside of our comfort zone and pray for God to show you new ways to help others. It will be a journey with God that will cause growth and empowerment as you lead by example for Christ.

1 Timothy 1:5-7 (MSG) The whole point of what we’re urging is simply love—love uncontaminated by self-interest and counterfeit faith, a life open to God. Those who fail to keep to this point soon wander off into cul-de-sacs of gossip. They set themselves up as experts on religious issues, but haven’t the remotest idea of what they’re holding forth with such imposing eloquence.