We have looked at the battle we fight against pride and the elusive nature of humility as we strive to take hold of it in our lives. Beyond prayer, the next step of action we need to take in our lives is to commit ourselves to an ongoing life of serving those around us.
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant.
Philippines 2:5-7
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant.
Philippines 2:5-7
Richard Foster writes, “More than nay other single way the grace of humility is worked into our lives through the Discipline of service… Nothing disciplines the inordinate desires of the flesh like service, and nothing transforms the desires of the flesh like serving in hiddenness. The flesh whines against service but screams against hidden service. It strains and pulls for honor and recognition.”
For the next three days I want to highlight some characteristics of the servant’s heart. I want to take a few moments today to reflect on the words from Richard Foster, “serving in hiddenness.”
There is something in our fallen nature that screams for attention. It starts when we are born. The thought of sacrificially giving of our time or resources to someone else without receiving any kind of recognition for it is something we often push out of our minds. Being a servant wasn’t something that Jesus just, “took on” Himself to show us what we need to do. It is His nature. That is who He is. The Bible records for us many things that Jesus did, things that were witnessed by others and written down for our benefit. But the world could never contain the volumes that could be written of things that He has done, things that He did while on this earth and things that He continues to do.
As we serve those around us today let’s pray for a heart like Christ. Put a five or ten dollar bill in an envelope and secretly leave it for someone in need today. Talk to a total stranger today that you may likely never see again, and take the time to listen for a need in their life and pray for them. Take a walk around your block and pick up trash lying along the way. Embrace the mundane chores of day to day life as an opportunity to serve. Be careful; don’t fall into the temptation of complaining about those things that you do because nobody else will do them. In all that you do, do it as unto the Lord and not for recognition from others.
Prayer: Lord, continue to transform our hearts to being more like you as we strive to serve with the kind of heart that You have served us with. Amen
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