Why Does God Want Us To Serve?

August, 2003

by: Dave Hintz

As I have been studying the topic of service rather extensively, I took some time to ponder some reasons why God places such a premium on this activity. By no means should the following be taken as an exhaustive list. Rather, regard this as pastoral reflections upon God's call to serve.

A servant learns to die to self (Matt. 16:24).

A servant must set aside his own desires, likes, and preferences for His master's. In order to do this effectively and joyfully, one must learn to continually die to himself. Any time we serve, we force ourselves to perform an activity, which does not naturally benefit us. We begin to model the seed form of sacrificial service, which characterized Jesus in His march to the cross. Like the Messiah, God calls us to die, and it is doubtful that individuals who are selfish with their time, skills, and resources would surrender their life for the glory of God. He who is faithful in little will be faithful with much.

A Humble Servant Showcases God

Unbelievers and believers reap the blessings of a servant's act of kindness and praise God for it (Matt. 5:16).

Service shakes us free from worldly priorities

The world system builds a stratum around power and wealth. Actively serving renounces this godless world order, and reminds us of the proper divine order in which all recognize that God both rules and owns the world (Mark 10:41-45).

God serves and blesses his children through servants

How often have you been blessed by the kind action of other Christians? Servants serve as channels of grace, to which God actively ministers to His children (1 John 3:16-18).

God blesses us through service

As we strive for greater intimacy with Christ, we must do so by trying to become more like Him. Jesus humbled himself taking the form of a bondservant, in order that He might lay down His life as a saving sacrifice. Thus, when we emulate his humility and servitude we become more like Him (Phil. 2:5-11). As Christians we must not limit our struggle to simply setting aside sin. In our pursuit of Holiness, me most take off the old self–serving man, and put on Christ the sacrificial servant (Lev. 19:2).

We Love People the Way Christ Loved Them

Christ loved His children through humble service. Therefore, in obedience to the command “that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another” (John 13:34) we must do so through humble service.