Monday, Day #33, How Real Servants Act

"We serve God by serving others.

"Whoever wants to be great must become a servant". Mark 10:43

You can tell what they are by what they do. Matthew 7:16

God determines your greatness by how many people you serve.

We would rather be generals than privates.  Even Christians want to be "servant-leaders," not just plain servants....to be like Jesus is to be a servant. 

Knowing your shape is important...having the heart of a servant is even more important.  God often tests our hearts by asking us to serve in ways we're not shaped....While you may not be gifted for a particular task, you may be called to do it if no one gifted at it is around.

Six characteristics of real servants;

Real servants make themselves available to service.  They do what's needed, even when it's inconvenient. 

Are you available to God anytime?  Can he mess up your plans without you becoming resentful?  As a servant, you don't get to pick and choose when or where you serve.  Being a servant means giving up the right to control your schedule and allowing God to interrupt it whenever he needs to. 

If you will remind yourself at the start of every day that you are God's servant, interruptions won't frustrate you as much.

Real servants pay attention to needs. 

Great opportunities to serve never last long. They pass quickly, sometimes never to return again.  You may only get one chance to serve that person, so take advantage of the moment. 

"Do all you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as you can."  John Wesley

Real servants do the best with what they have.  They don't make excuses, procrastinate, or wait for better circumstances.

Real servants do every task with equal dedication.  Whatever they do, servants "do it with all their heart."  The size of the task is irrelevant.  The only issue is, does it need to be done?

You will never arrive at a state in life where you're too important to help with menial tasks....It is in these small services that we grow like Christ.  Your servant's heart is revealed in little acts that others don't think of doing.

The race to be a leader is crowded, but the field is wide open for those willing to be servants.

Real servants are faithful to ministry.  Faithful servants never retire.  They serve faithfully as long as they're alive....you will never retire from serving God.

Real servants maintain a low profile.  They "put on the apron of humility, to serve one another."

Self-promotion and servanthood don't mix.

Being in the spotlight blinds you.  Even the smallest service is noticed by God and will be rewarded."
PDL Chapter #33

There is a lot of material to think about in this chapter.  I like to think I'm available to God, but I'm not available 24 hours a day.  If God put something obvious in front of me, sure I'm available, any day, any time,  but if I'm running late, or tired, or it's dark out and what's to do is small, I'm more likely to keep to my schedule, or just drive on by.  In my black & white thinking, there are more than enough needs in my own community to fill a full life, without ever making it to church to help out.  A lot to think about.