Came to Serve – March 27, 2020

[Jesus said] “Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
Matthew 20:26-28

Came to Serve

Have you seen the WWJD bracelets? WWJD stands for “What would Jesus do?” I wear one of these bracelets as a way of reminding myself that God has called me to follow Jesus, to try and imitate him in all that I do.

Unfortunately, just wearing a bracelet doesn’t mean I actually do what it says. Following Jesus, imitating him is hard for many reasons. For one, Jesus is perfect, while we are broken sinners, who are inclined towards selfishness. In addition, it can be hard to know what Jesus would actually do if he were in our situation.

But Jesus’ words to his disciples can lead us in the right direction. Jesus said that we are to be servants to others, just as he lived a life of service to all by giving up his life.

So what does that look like for you today? Maybe that means you look for ways to serve your spouse or children. Maybe you visit and care for your next-door neighbor. Maybe you see a need in your community that is not being met and do something about it. When you live a life of service, you are letting your light shine so that people might see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:16).

When you make it your ambition to imitate Jesus, you will also immediately see how far short you fall from his example. That is why Jesus came to be more than just a good example. He came to be your substitute. He came to give his life as a ransom for your sins. Knowing that your sins of self-service are forgiven allows you to start fresh today and serve others rather than simply serving yourself. Not only will this be a blessing to them, but you will discover a joy and fulfillment that serving yourself could never bring.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, thank you for serving me by giving your life. Lead me to give my life in service towards others. Amen.