Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. (1 Peter 4:10)
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“Service! Anybody?”

“Where’s the service around here?”

“Hey, who’s in charge of service at this place?”

“The service is terrible.”

“I wouldn’t come back if someone paid me.”

“You call this service!

  “I don’t have all day.”

The world’s perspective on “service” is to be served. “Wait on me—now. Meet my expectations of how I want to be and deserve to be served.” Cashiers, waiters,     waitresses, clerks, aides, tellers, and many others can be categorized as “servers” who are, sometimes, looked down upon and treated as “less” in comparison to the ones being served or waited on. How many times have we been guilty of this? Have we spoken these words—with the expectation that we should be properly and     deservedly served?

In contrast to the world’s viewpoint, God’s perspective on “service” is to serve. We are not to be the ones waited upon, but the servants who serve. This is how we can “become great.”

26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28 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)

Our example is Jesus, who left His Father’s realm to live among us as a servant. He sacrificed His life in service to each one of us so that we might live in that heavenly realm one day. He is the King who is the Ruler over our lives—and, yet, Jesus says “the one who rules (should be) like the one who serves” and He declares Himself as one who serves:

²⁵ Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. ²⁶ But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. ²⁷ For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.“ (Luke 22:25-27)

 Humility is not usually a trait associated with high achievement in our world today. Yet, we are called to be humble and serve. Such is the mark of “greatness” with God: “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. (Galatians 5:13)

The work we do in this life is really in service to Christ and, through Him, to each other-our brothers and sisters in the Lord and to those we want to bring into the Lord: ²³ Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, ²⁴ 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? Anybody? We are the ones called to serve.

(Sharon G. Tate 11/25/18 blog ) teacherforjesus.com Meditations on God’s Word