Service
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”
– Colossians 3:23-24
Service is possibly one of the most familiar of all the disciplines. Most people at some point in their lives have had the opportunity of serving in some way. Fewer have had the experience of service as a discipline. Service as a discipline is the intentional use of our time, abilities, or resources for the good of others. Service may take place in a local church setting, volunteering for a charitable organization, or spontaneously in individual settings. The importance is not derived from the context, but the purpose and transformation that takes place in the heart of the one serving.
Service is a discipline that directly targets many attitudes that are present in our culture today, such as entitlement and pride. Today it is very common to find an expectation of “being served” as opposed to “serving.” Dallas Willard points out that service is an excellent way to “train myself away from arrogance, possessiveness, envy, resentment, or covetousness.” In other words, many hard to reach areas of sin are confronted and transformed by this simple discipline.
- Many opportunities for service exist right in one’s neighborhood. Consider serving your neighbor by an act of kindness such as mowing a lawn, washing a car, or raking up leaves.
- Be available to assist others with needs that arise. An example of this would be helping someone move.
- If you are not currently involved in a ministry at your church, talk with your pastor about areas where you might be able to serve on a regular basis.