Are You a Servant or do you expect to be Served?

How does a real servant act? 
Are you a slave, doing things just because you are told to do them; when doing things for others are you grumbling under your breath because serving is an inconvenience to you or you hate the job you are doing; do you view serving as a job or a duty; or are you doing it to gain respect or status?

The world views "service" as greatness which is defined by power, status, wealth, material things.  If you have all these things then other people should be serving you.  Our society has adopted the 'me-first' attitude and our needs, wants, desires, and comforts should and must come first.  We shouldn't have to serve anyone but ourselves and when we do 'serve' others there is an underlying motive or strings attached.

Jesus has a completely different idea of what it means to serve. He measured greatness in terms of Service NOT Status.


Everyone has the desire to lead, but no one wants to be a 'servant'.  God made you for serving others NOT self-centeredness.  The true heart of a servant is very important to God.  Without a true servant's heart, you will use your abilities, talents, and gifts for personal gain and use these things as an excuse to get out of meeting someone else's needs.

God tests the condition of your heart by asking us to do things we don't want to do or feel we weren't really 'called' to do ("it really isn't my 'thing'").  By doing the things God asks us to do (even the unpleasent or inconvenient) we show we are growing and maturing spiritually.  Anyone can be a 'servant' by doing little things.  This can start in your home by doing something that needs to be done and not being asked to do it (sweeping the floor, laundry, dishes...) and NOT expecting praise/acknowledgement/rewards in return.

How do you know if you have a Servant's Heart?
Jesus said in Matthew 7:16 "You can tell what they are by what they do".  He is talking about being able to tell what kind of person you are (what kind of heart you have) by the way you act and speak.  Are you self-centered, do you do things because you really want to and get joy from helping others or do you do things for others because you want the recognition/acknowledgement/praise/rewards?  (I know that Jesus was speaking of false prophets in 7:15-20 but it can be applied to individuals as I have just explained it).

There are basically 6 characteristics of a real servant:
1. Real servants make themselves available to serve.  They do what is needed even if it is inconvenient or uncomfortable without complaining or talking to others about what you "had to do".  They put the needs of others before their own and do it humbly and selflessly.
2. It means being available whenever God needs you.  You do not get to pick and choose when or where or how you will serve God.  You don't set the rules or guidelines.  You completely relinquish control to God and allow Him to take over your lifes ENTIRE SCHEDULE!!  True servants pay attention to the needs of others.  God commands (Gal. 6:10) that if we see a need...ANY need, no matter how big or small, that we seize that moment and meet that need IMMEDIATELY.  There is no "in a minute" or "I'll do it when I get a chance or when I am done with ______".  You stop what you are doing and meet that person's need.  You should always be looking for ways to serve others.  Great opportunities to serve others usually don't last very long and the moment passes very quickly and you may not EVER get a chance to serve/help that person again, and God may have chosen you to be the one person who can help meet that persons need.  That may be the only time in that person's life that they get to see who God really by Him using you to serve them.  Proverbs 3:28 says "Never tell your neighbor to wait until tomorrow if you can help them now".  It doesn't have to just be a neighbor, it could be family or a friend or even a stranger.  Begin this process by looking for tasks that no one else wants to do (in your home, neighborhood, work, school, church).  Remember God is always watching you to see what you do with the small opportunities He provides to serve others.
3. Real Servants Do Their Best With What They Have.  True servants will NEVER make excuses, procrastinate, or wait for better timing/circumstances.  They just do what needs to be done.  Ecc. 11:4 means if you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done!  Never feel like you are not good enough to serve.  Even if others think the job you did was not good enough, if you are serving with a loving and selfless heart and do the job to the absolut best of your ability God will be pleased.  It does not have to be perfect for God to use it or to bless it.
4. Real Servants Do Every Task/Jov With Equal Dedication.  The size of the task or job is not important.  The question you need to ask yourself is 'Does it need to be done'?  Then you need to do the job to the best of your ability and remember you are working for God not man (Col. 3:23).  Everything you do (big or small) you are doing it all to please God NOT other people.  Small services we do for people makes us grow/mature in our character, which is ultimately making us become more Christ-like.  Even Jesus served people in small ways (washing feet, babysitting, making breakfast, helping people no one else wanted to help).  No job was 'beneath' Him.  So, try serving others in small ways (Luke 16:10-12).
5. Real Servants are Faithful to Their Ministry.  Real servants finish their task/job, fulfill their responsibilities, keep their promises (which is why you need to be careful what you promise!), and do not break their commitments.  They never leave a job half done.  They also NEVER QUIT when they get discouraged, frustrated, upset or angry.  Imagine if Jesus just quit His mission whenever he was frustrated, discouraged, or angry, or if God just said "I am just too frustrated with all you people so I am going to quit being God".  During the tasks/jobs you have God is testing your Faith.  Good examples of faithful people are Abraham, Moses, Samuel, David, Daniel, Timothy, and Paul.  Don't ever think that you are alone or that you are doing these things for nothing.  God promises to reward your faithfulness in eternity (Matt. 25:23).  You also get rewarded here on Earth as well by feeling the joy in your heart of helping someone else (and what ever rewards God decides to give you but that should NOT be your motivation for serving others!!).
6. Real Servants Maintain a Low Profile.  Servants do not like to be in the spotlight or draw attention to themselves.  Instead, they "put on the apron of humility to serve one another" (1 Peter 5:5).  If they are recognized for a job/service they just humbly accept the recognition and get back to serving.  They don't let it distract them from their job/task.  Some people act "spiritual" and put on a good show because they really want to get the "at-a-boy", the pat on the back, and the attention for what they have done to make themselves feel needed and important.  Paul calls this kind of service "eye-service" (Eph. 6:6; Col. 3:22).  Serving others just to impress people and to show them just how 'spiritual and good' they are is a sin.  A great example are the Pharisees.  They did exaxtly what I just explained and Jesus actually HATED their attitude and gave them a warning "When you do good deeds, don't try to show off.  If you do, you won't get a reward from your Father in Heaven (Matt. 6:1).  Paul said (Gal. 1:10) "If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ".  True servants are completely content 'serving in the shadows'.  Joseph is a good example because he quietly served Potiphar, his jailer, the Pharaoh's baker and wine taster.  Even when pharaoh have Joseph a promotion he still had a true and humble servant's heart - even with his brothers that betrayed him.  Being in the spotlight blinds you to what is really important...serving God, which ultimately leads to serving others.  Don't be discouraged if what you do goes unnoticed or if it gets taken for granted.  Just keep serving because it never goes unnoticed with God and He is the only one who matters. "Throw yourselves into the work of the Master, confident that nothing you do for Him is a waste of time and effort" (1 Cor. 15:58).
Jesus said "If, as my represenatives, you give even a cup of cold water to a child, you will surely be rewarded" (Matt. 10:42).

So, the question remains...do you want to be a true servant of God or do you want to BE served?