My wife and I were in a restaurant the other day and were served by people we didn’t know who treated us as the most special people they knew. They left no stone unturned. Our glasses were always full. They were extremely polite and went well beyond our expectations to make sure that we were happy. It was the best service I’ve ever experienced.
In a very real way, serving is submission. When you submit to someone, you do what he or she desires. Serving is not something you teach, but rather something done out of a heart of gratitude. If you are a Christ-follower and have been saved, you absolutely see and understand the value of what Christ did for you when He died on the cross. Gratitude produces submission, and submission produces serving Christ unashamedly and without concern for what others may think.
You see, serving is a natural overflow of submission. When a leader completely submits to the Lord, they are compelled to serve. This is what happens when a person gives their life to the One who gave His life for them. This is evident in several very distinctive activities. Let’s see what Jesus said.
30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these” (Mark 12:30-31).
We serve the Lord because we love the Lord and follow His purpose for our lives.
Love drives us to do many things in our lives. As leaders, it is important to make sure that we keep the main thing as the main thing. Our love for the Lord should drive us to serve Him with a heart of gratitude. But, serving the Lord means that we also work hard to do exactly what we perceive that He wants us to do. Do you think that God has specific plans for you? Does God’s purpose always prevail? Absolutely! God’s purpose always prevails regardless of our own plans.
We serve others because we love the Lord and point them to Him.
Ultimately, we serve others because the Lord told us to serve others. Because we love the Lord, we follow His instruction for us. How do we serve others? I think we serve others in several ways. First, we serve others by treating them as we want to be treated. How do you want to be treated? Most people would say that they just want to be treated fairly. How does this look to you? Well, you have to decide that, but I would say that treating others fairly means that a biblical set of values must guide your behavior toward others.
[Tweet ““How we walk with the broken speaks louder than how we sit with the great.””]
Second, we serve others by expressing humility in the midst of our relationships with them. I saw a statement the other day on the Internet that was perfect for this topic. “How we walk with the broken speaks louder than how we sit with the great.” When you think about serving others, put yourself in the place of walking alongside someone in your office or community who is going through a time of brokenness. How you walk with them will speak so much louder than just telling them how much you appreciate them. Appreciation is good, but people need you when they are experiencing brokenness.
Third, we serve others by pointing them to the Savior. What does any of this have to do with leadership? Eventually, all of life comes down to the decision you make about your eternal life. Life on earth is really only a vapor. We are here today and then gone tomorrow. As a leader in your church, community, or business, the most important thing you can do is to share Christ with those who are around you. Did you hear that? The most important thing you can do is to share Christ with those who are around you.
What’s the takeaway?
When you truly serve the Lord you will serve others. As a result, others are are more likely to follow you because they know that you authentically care about them. How many of you have ever worked for someone who genuinely cared about you and your family? Do you remember how that made you feel? I’m sure that you would have done almost anything asked because of that amazing care and interest in your family. On the other hand, I’m sure you’ve worked for just the opposite kinds of people who cared only for themselves and no one else. You probably reacted much differently with those employers. That’s the takeaway. Love others authentically and you will have their respect. Don’t just tell them you love them…..words are just words. Support your words with investment. Know their names. Know their families. Know their hurts. Know their desires. Know their needs. Know their strengths. Know their weaknesses. Know their kids. Show others that you love them by serving the Lord first and then serving them as a result of your genuine love for them. You will reap immeasurable benefits of trusted leadership in the end.
So, what about the best service I’ve ever experienced? It was all about us. They served us with our best interest in mind. The team of waiters even anticipated our needs throughout the dinner. As someone who works with people, do you love your employees or coworkers enough to anticipate their needs and work tirelessly to meet those needs? It is a very penetrating question…….
Jesus did.