Serving God by Helping Others

Christ-followers don't get a pass on serving.  We have a calling and mandate from Christ to follow His steps with "skin-on" and minister to others.  He not only taught, but modeled service for us in the Gospels.  In His inaugural sermon in Luke (Luke 4:16ff), Jesus reads from Isaiah and sets the tone for his ministry, mission and purpose.  His would be an earthly life of sacrifice for others that climaxed when He gave His life on the Cross for the likes of you and me.

So how are we doing?  How are we following?  Gut check your life.  Let's look in the mirror.  What will I find when I walk back through the calendar on my Smart Phone?  Do my days reflect time spent serving others?  If we grab our most recent bank statement would we find funds spent trying to honor Christ and help others?  I believe what we do with our time and money is a direct reflection of our priorities in life.  Would those closest to us (co-workers, family, and friends) say we are givers or takers?  Do we demand more attention from people than we are willing to give to others?

I have a hunch that most Western Christ-followers are satisfied to let their church affiliation, or weekly attendance satisfy the call to serve.  Church membership is commendable, but are we really willing to say that attendance and contributing to the offering is the same as actually serving, helping and caring for others?  Isn't their more to it than mere obedience to ritual and practice?  If we aren't careful we can become modern-day Pharisees emphasizing adherence to tradition and ritual while ignoring our responsibility to practically live out the very gospel we profess.  Weekly worship and small group participation are necessary and wonderful.  However, if they are not prompting us to serve, grow closer to God and live out our faith in tangible ways they can become mere Christian social gatherings.

In Romans 12, the Apostle Paul said our daily living (24/7) is supposed to be our spiritual act of worship.  We're to offer our lives in service to Christ every day, not just the days we feel like it.  Henry Blackaby comments on this passage:

Every day, you are to offer your life to Him in your spare time or with your leftover resources.  The way you live your life for God is your offering to Him. 

If your life offering is characterized by church attendance or membership, but you want more from it don't get discouraged.  Let me encourage you to start small.  Don't beat yourself up with guilt!  Start serving by offering a small, but consistent chunk of your time in service to others.  Start by delivering for meals on wheels; give one hour to an adult literacy program; take a shift ringing the Salvation Army bell at Christmas; volunteer one night at a local soup kitchen, or a clothing closet; bake something and deliver it to your neighbors and just ask them how you can pray for them; offer to serve at a local shelter.  The opportunities are endless.  See what your church is doing to help others and ask how you can do more.  I guarantee there are ministry leaders and pastoral staff who are just waiting for someone like yourself to get involved in an area of ministry.  Start small, stay consistent and look out because great things always come from small beginnings.  Like a baby born in a small town called Bethlehem!