WHAT IS YOUR POSTURE?
Do you treat church like you do your job? You clock in on Sunday morning, sit there for an hour, and then you leave without giving it a second thought. Maybe you throw in some overtime by going to a weekly Bible study every now and then. While all of this is great, it is not a substantial way to live your life as a Christian.
We are not called to be idle in our actions, but to serve the church and others in whatever capacity that we can. It is easy to get caught up in your own bubble that you forget that being a Christian means popping that bubble and stepping into some uncomfortable and exhausting situations where you may not exactly want to be.
SO, WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE?
True service reflects not just what you do but how you do it. I can volunteer to serve with a church daycare, but if I go into it every time with a sour attitude or expecting some kind of praise from people, then I am not serving in a positive manner. At that point, it may have even been better had I not volunteered at all.
Serving means taking the message that you hear on Sunday and applying it to your life outside of that building. When you hear a message about generosity, pray about it and find ways to serve the community. If there is a need, look to fulfill it. It doesn’t matter how big or small it is.
It could be something as simple as being a greeter on Sunday mornings or picking up chairs after a big fellowship event. It could also be something as complex as building and leading your own small group Bible study. At the end of the day, the complexity of the service does not matter. It is the effort and heart that you put into it.
WHY SERVE?
One may begin to think that all of this is pointless. There couldn’t possibly be any life change that can happen from you saying, “Hello,” to someone as they come into church, or maybe, you are leading a small group Bible study with a whopping attendance of zero. What is the point?
The reality is that you won’t always get to see the point. You will hopefully plant a seed, but the fruit of that seed might not show until way later down the road. If there is even the smallest chance that your action can help bring someone closer to God, that alone makes it worth it and answers the question of why you should serve.
In addition to that, serving also benefits your own relationship with God. It gives you a way to glorify God as well as grow in relationship with him instead of just remaining stagnant. Being a Christian becomes more than just a Sunday morning thing. By serving, you are actively taking the word of God and applying it to your life, allowing it to truly change you. No matter where you are in life or how busy you are, there is never a bad time to look for ways to serve within the body of Christ where you are at. ■
