"Service starts in your mind. To be a servant requires a mental shift, a change in your attitudes. God is always more interested in why we do something than in what we do.
The five mindsets of real servants;
Servants think more about others than about themselves. It's only when we forget ourselves that we do things that deserve to be remembered.
Real servants don't try to use God for their purposes. They let God use them for his purposes. Self-denial is the core of servanthood.
"If someone takes unfair advantage of you, use the occasion to practice the servant life."
Servants think like stewards, not owners. Servants remember that God owns it all. "The one thing required of such servants is that they be faithful to their master." How are you handling the resources God has entrusted to you?
To become a real servant you are going to have to settle the issue of money in your life. Jesus said, "No servant can serve two masters....you cannot serve both God and money."
All your time belongs to God. He insists on exclusive allegiance, not part time faithfulness.
Money has the greatest potential to replace God in your life. God uses money to test your faithfulness as a servant. Kingdom Builders try to make as much money as they can, but they do it in order to give it away. They use the wealth to fund God's church and it's mission in the world.
Servants think about their work, not what others are doing. There's no place for petty jealousy between servants. When you're busy serving, you don't have time to be critical.
Real servants don't complain of unfairness, don't have pity-parties, and don't resent those not serving. They just trust God and keep serving.
Servants base their identity in Christ. Servants don't have to prove their worth.
Only secure people can serve. In order to serve...we have to give up measuring our meaning and value with the yardstick of others. "The only approval that counts is the Lord's approval."
Servants think of ministry as an opportunity, not an obligation. They enjoy helping people, meeting needs, and doing ministry. They "serve the Lord with gladness." PDL Chapter #34
It's really hard to think (consistently) more about others than myself. I need to connect in my mind that serving is a joyful obligation. If I can really make it joyful, it will no longer be an obligation, it will just be fun, something I want to do. "No servant can serve two masters.", God owns it all.
All your time belongs to God. He insists on exclusive allegiance, not part time faithfulness. That is a really difficult line to internalize.
This comment was posted by Doug Eshelman:
ReplyDeleteattitudes count more than achievements: thank goodness for that - makes me willing to take on those potentially embarrassing servant tasks; self-denial is the core of servanthood: kind of a tough pill to swallow - I understand it - don't know whether I can totally get there though; servants think like stewards, not owners: I have been making strides on thinking of material possessions in this fashion; God uses money to test your faithfulness as a servant - think Krueger mentioned last nite the Bible references money 2300 times and heaven and hell each only 600 times: the materialism issue is so overwhelming in today's culture - to convert from a Wealth Builder to a Kingdom Builder I hope to make a personal goal; willingly accept jobs that insecure people would consider "beneath" them: serving from a secure self-image and the example of Jesus washing disciples' feet is a terrific picture - I think I am humble enough to meet that characteristic; Schweitzer quote: "only really happy people are those who have learned how to serve": as you mature I think this concept becomes more understandable - its not about us - I am not there yet - still too selfish too often - but it is a goal to strive for -
Great comment Doug, I've been toiling with the thought of servanthood all day. It's not about me, it's about God. Hard to put it into a 24 hour a day concept.
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