Helping Others
For many people, life is a series of actions with the same focused intent: taking care of number one. These are the people who shout with both words and deeds, “It’s all about me!” You may know one or two at the office, school, or even at home.
It’s no surprise that a lifestyle promoting selfish service is so prevalent today.
A barrage of popular media is constantly telling you that the only person who’s really important in this world is you.
But the it’s-all-about-me philosophy isn’t a recent phenomenon. It’s been around for ages.
That’s probably why the self-important religious leaders in Jesus’ time were so taken aback when Jesus spoke about serving others. “Whoever desires to be great among you, let him be your servant,” He said. What? That’s backward! they must have thought.
Jesus didn’t stop at words, though. He took on one of the lowliest tasks—foot washing—to show His disciples just how to be a servant. This wasn’t a grandstanding or look-at-me event. (Sandals and dusty roads made for particularly dirty feet.) It was a humble, quiet action that taught a simple yet powerful lesson: serve others unselfishly. Jesus reinforced this lesson by asking that the disciples do as he had done. (John 13:14)
That’s the challenge you face today. Do you help others unselfishly? Or are your wants stacked up so high you can’t even see your own feet, let alone your neighbors’?
Serving others requires sacrifice. If you volunteer to help a neighbor with a project, you may miss your favorite television show.
But that’s okay. Consider what you’re really missing by giving something up to help another person. Is this thing really all that important to you? Is it necessary? If the answer is yes, then stay with your original plan.
But if the answer is an honest, no, consider giving it up. Your sacrifice, no matter how small, will turn into gold when you help someone else with a need.
Serving others might also mean risking the ridicule or disdain of those who believe only in serving themselves. The risk is worth it.
Most people who observe your unselfish act will be inspired. Stay focused on the task at hand—helping someone—and perhaps you’ll even inspire others to also reconsider and appreciate the value of serving others.
Reaching out to others instead of always taking care of number one is worth the sacrifice. You are never as tall in God’s sight as when you are on your knees, washing someone’s feet.
Make helping others a new priority in your life.
Reverend Calvin Wyatt /email: /calvincosmo30@gmail.com /calvincosmo@facebook.com.
For many people, life is a series of actions with the same focused intent: taking care of number one. These are the people who shout with both words and deeds, “It’s all about me!” You may know one or two at the office, school, or even at home.
It’s no surprise that a lifestyle promoting selfish service is so prevalent today.
A barrage of popular media is constantly telling you that the only person who’s really important in this world is you.
But the it’s-all-about-me philosophy isn’t a recent phenomenon. It’s been around for ages.
That’s probably why the self-important religious leaders in Jesus’ time were so taken aback when Jesus spoke about serving others. “Whoever desires to be great among you, let him be your servant,” He said. What? That’s backward! they must have thought.
Jesus didn’t stop at words, though. He took on one of the lowliest tasks—foot washing—to show His disciples just how to be a servant. This wasn’t a grandstanding or look-at-me event. (Sandals and dusty roads made for particularly dirty feet.) It was a humble, quiet action that taught a simple yet powerful lesson: serve others unselfishly. Jesus reinforced this lesson by asking that the disciples do as he had done. (John 13:14)
That’s the challenge you face today. Do you help others unselfishly? Or are your wants stacked up so high you can’t even see your own feet, let alone your neighbors’?
Serving others requires sacrifice. If you volunteer to help a neighbor with a project, you may miss your favorite television show.
But that’s okay. Consider what you’re really missing by giving something up to help another person. Is this thing really all that important to you? Is it necessary? If the answer is yes, then stay with your original plan.
But if the answer is an honest, no, consider giving it up. Your sacrifice, no matter how small, will turn into gold when you help someone else with a need.
Serving others might also mean risking the ridicule or disdain of those who believe only in serving themselves. The risk is worth it.
Most people who observe your unselfish act will be inspired. Stay focused on the task at hand—helping someone—and perhaps you’ll even inspire others to also reconsider and appreciate the value of serving others.
Reaching out to others instead of always taking care of number one is worth the sacrifice. You are never as tall in God’s sight as when you are on your knees, washing someone’s feet.
Make helping others a new priority in your life.
Reverend Calvin Wyatt /email: /calvincosmo30@gmail.com /calvincosmo@facebook.com.
EMP0WERMENT
I Will…
Learn from Jesus’ example how to serve others without fear of what others will think of me.
Ask God to teach me how to be unselfish in a world that preaches a self-serving lifestyle.
Know that God is pleased when I help others.
Look for opportunities to serve
Seek to understand what it means to serve unselfishly.
Examine my heart to see if I am being too selfish.
Things to Do…
Pray for God to reduce your wants and increase your willingness to serve.
Study what the Bible teaches about serving others (begin with the Scriptures listed below).
Do something unexpected to help a friend—but don’t seek acknowledgment for your action.
Examine what you own and determine how you might use it to serve others.
Volunteer to cook a meal for a neighbor or friend.
Come up with three ways you can help a family member in the coming week and implement them.
Things to Remember…
You, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. (GALATIANS 5:13 NKJV)
Don’t just do what you have to do to get by, but work heartily, as Christ’s servants doing what God wants you to do. (EPHESIANS 6:6 THE MESSAGE)
Whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many. (MATFHEW 20:26–28 NKJV)
What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. (1 CORINTHIANS 3:5 NIV)
Seek the LORD, all you meek of the earth, who have upheld His justice. Seek righteousness, seek humility. (ZEPHANIAH 2:3 NKJV)
The service we render for others is really the rent we pay for our room on this earth.
—WILFRED GRENFELL
The service that counts is the service that costs. —HOWARD HENDRICKS
Learn from Jesus’ example how to serve others without fear of what others will think of me.
Ask God to teach me how to be unselfish in a world that preaches a self-serving lifestyle.
Know that God is pleased when I help others.
Look for opportunities to serve
Seek to understand what it means to serve unselfishly.
Examine my heart to see if I am being too selfish.
Things to Do…
Pray for God to reduce your wants and increase your willingness to serve.
Study what the Bible teaches about serving others (begin with the Scriptures listed below).
Do something unexpected to help a friend—but don’t seek acknowledgment for your action.
Examine what you own and determine how you might use it to serve others.
Volunteer to cook a meal for a neighbor or friend.
Come up with three ways you can help a family member in the coming week and implement them.
Things to Remember…
You, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. (GALATIANS 5:13 NKJV)
Don’t just do what you have to do to get by, but work heartily, as Christ’s servants doing what God wants you to do. (EPHESIANS 6:6 THE MESSAGE)
Whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many. (MATFHEW 20:26–28 NKJV)
What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. (1 CORINTHIANS 3:5 NIV)
Seek the LORD, all you meek of the earth, who have upheld His justice. Seek righteousness, seek humility. (ZEPHANIAH 2:3 NKJV)
The service we render for others is really the rent we pay for our room on this earth.
—WILFRED GRENFELL
The service that counts is the service that costs. —HOWARD HENDRICKS
A Clarion Call:
If you have not yet received the Lord Jesus into your life, or you once received Him but backslid, make yourself available of this opportunity and pray this prayer: There is no degree of sin the Lord cannot blot out. Do not postpone, for tomorrow may be too late.
Father I come before you as a sinner (Romans 3:23)
I sincerely repent of my sins (Acts 3:19)
I believe that Jesus died and was resurrected to grant me salvation
(John 3:16)
Today, as I receive Him into my heart by faith, grant me grace,
not to go back to my old sinful ways (Proverbs 28:13)
Thank you Lord for saving me.
