Serve People

The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening. (Exodus 18:13 NIV)

Beyond celebrating God and sharing stories of His faithfulness, we can also empower people to walk together with God by serving.  Jesus came to serve.  Jesus told us that leadership is about serving.  So, we are doing well when we serve other people.

When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, "What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?" (Exodus 18:14 NIV)

Sometimes, though, that service can become overwhelming.  We find ourselves tired, frazzled, and wondering why we are serving in the first place.  We aren’t the only ones feeling tired and frazzled, either.  The people we are trying to serve don’t experience the joy of being served, either.

Moses answered him, "Because the people come to me to seek God's will. Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God's decrees and instructions." (Exodus 18:15-16 NIV)

When we, and they, feel this way, it is a good sign that we are doing something wrong.  Perhaps the service has become about earning God’s favor.  Maybe we are serving because we feel guilty about something else.  Service can even become a source of pride.  None of these feelings, however, match up with God’s desire for our minds and hearts. 

God calls us to serve, yes, but our service can’t be about us.  It must be about God.  It must be about them.  True service asks, “What does God want me to do here?  What will serve them best?”  When we do, service doesn’t become a burden we bear.  It becomes a joy we experience.

So, how about you?  Do you serve people?  Does it feel like a joy or a burden?  Do negative feelings sometimes creep into your time of service?  Does God use your service to empower one more?