Having spent many years focusing on how to become a better husband, father, and friend. I have discovered to do so; I need to view my life as “an act of service”.
The only way I can do this is by having a servant’s heart and mindset.
This is a choice we make as a person. A choice which will dramatically effect both our lives and the lives of those in our sphere of influence. To live life with a servant’s heart and mindset and to see life as “an act of service”, requires us to think more of others than we do of ourselves.
To serve truly means to place the needs and concerns of someone else before our own.
Saying this is so much easier than doing it.
You may be thinking, well that is nothing new. I agree completely. Yet, even so, we see this lacking in almost every facet of our lives. From the workplace where we may be exposed to people who are positioned over us; to our elected officials, it is very hard to find people who consider what they do “an act of service”.
The reason this is true, is because most of us enjoy the authority our positions in life may bring. We like to feel respected and seen as the one in charge. This can be seen just as easily in our homes where many fathers and mothers lead their households from a position of authority instead of a place where we have an opportunity to serve those they profess to love.
“An act of service” ultimately requires us to be a servant. For many, this is not only uncomfortable, but undesirable. This is true because we have been taught it is better to be served than to serve.
Our personal goals have most likely never been to serve. If you are like me, your personal goals have always been to be in the position where you do not have to serve anyone.
Even as I write these words I am appalled at just how selfish and self-centered they sound.
So, how do we overcome our natural tendencies to resist performing “an act of service”? We do so by finding a model we can emulate. The model I choose to emulate is Jesus.
Whether you believe in His deity as I do or not, you cannot deny His influence. The irony is His influence is not from how much He earned or how successful He was.
His influence is because of His servant’s heart.
A heart which led Him to heal the sick, love the broken hearted, raise the dead and give His life for the ransom of all of us. His life was and is the ultimate “act of service”. His model of serving when followed, changes everything. Beginning with our hearts.
Yet, even now, I know there are many who will never consider following His model because they are convinced, He did not do the things I know He did.
The irony is even if this is your perspective you cannot deny how effective His “act of service” has been on humanity.
The question is, are you willing to live in a way others would consider to be “an act of service”? Or are you just living a life where the act is being served? Although we may not be sure, how to answer these questions.
One thing we can be sure of is, those around us already know the answer!
Matthew 23:11, “The greatest among you shall be your servant.”
