When it comes to serving others, Jesus is the one who established the pattern of ministry for His Church when He said of Himself,

“For the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).

Jesus’ example is a model for all of us. All those who claim to be followers of Jesus should be engaged is serving others, whether it is through a ministry in their local church, or simply among friends and acquaintances, and yes, even strangers. Also, during His ministry, Jesus told His disciples,

“The greatest among you will be your servant” (Matt 23:11).

I believe that Jesus is saying that the most “honored” among us are those who serve. I’m pretty sure that none of you seek “honor” for your service, but at the same time, Jesus calls you the “greatest” because of your commitment to serve others just as He did. Someone once said,

“The Bible teaches that serving God and others is not about doing great things but about doing small things with great love.”

Did you catch that? That statement is so rich, and so true. Helping others, regardless of how big or small the task, is an expression of our faith in Christ and love for others. In fact, the Apostle Paul told the Galatian Christians to,

….serve one another humbly because you love them (Gal. 5:13, paraphrase).

I must also mention that the Apostle Paul considered “serving” as a “sacrifice,” and sacrifices, by definition, are “costly.” Here is how Paul admonished the Christians in Rome,

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship (Rom. 12:1).

Service is costly because it demands our time and sometimes our resources that could have otherwise been spent on ourselves. Furthermore, true worship is about offering ourselves as living sacrifices, and that involves serving others. Like Paul, the Apostle Peter also admonished his readers in this way,

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace (1 Peter 4:10).

If any of us are to be considered “faithful stewards” of the grace that has been extended to us, we must use our spiritual gifts in serving others.

One of the final “commands” that Jesus gave His disciples occurred on the night in which He was betrayed. John tells us that during dinner, Jesus got up and began to wash the feet of His disciples. When He finished, He said to them,

“Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set an example for you that you should do as I have done for you” (John 13:14-15).

Although some churches promote actual “foot washing,” the larger principle is about serving others. Regardless of one’s culture or country, “serving” should be the mark of every follower of Jesus.

So this week, let’s look for opportunities to serve, either in your local church, or beyond it. And it may even be a “spur of the moment” encounter with a stranger.

And now it’s time to answer the question: “What is the “secret” of service? The Apostle Paul quoted the words of Jesus that were passed down orally amongst the disciples, but interestingly, were not recorded in any of the gospels. Here is what Jesus said,

“It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).

So, friends, if you want to receive the “blessings” of God, then we need to serve. And that’s the “Secret of Service.”