You know that warm, fuzzy feeling you get inside after helping someone? It’s honestly an amazing feeling! And you might feel this because you’ve made somebody proud, or by serving others you’ve been accepted by them (people pleasing).
Watching our motives
“In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your Heavenly Father.”
Matthew 5:16
This verse tells us that our intentions when serving others should be that our Father in Heaven gets ALL glory, honor, and praise. But let me ask you something: when serving others, what are your intentions? And how do these intentions affect your heart? You see, there is joy when we serve others with the right motives. It’s always important to ask ourselves why we do what we do. If we are serving God to gain His favor and find significance through what we do, we won’t experience the joy of serving others. Nothing we do will allow us to experience that joy. Serving others with the wrong motives has the same effect as pouring water into a bucket with a hole in the bottom.
True joy comes from knowing God and who He is and serving Him from a heart that is resting in His love. When we live in God’s love and our heart is filled with the reality of the sacrifice He made for us on the cross, we will understand that there is nothing we can do to earn or lose His love (Romans 8:38). Our intentions will no longer be to earn favor by what we do, but it will be motivated out of gratitude and joy to serve God. In this there is freedom!
Saved by grace
But let’s quickly recall what James 2:14-17 says: “What good is it, dear brothers and sisters if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.” We need to remember that it is not our good deeds that take us to heaven; it is only by accepting the gift that God so freely gave to us that we can be saved.
Following Jesus’ example
Did you know that even Jesus served others? The sinless and faultless Man who died so we could be saved served those around Him. Now you might want proof that what I am saying is true. The story of Jesus washing his disciples’ feet is repeated 3 times in the Bible. Matthew 20:28 says, “Even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” We should continuously strive to follow His example daily in our lives. (Matthew 26:14-39; Luke 22:24-27 and John 13:1-17)
You may ask why Jesus washed feet. Well, Jesus washed the disciple’s feet as a reminder for us to serve others, even those we might not like or those who might not like us. You see, Jesus knew that Judas was about to betray Him and yet He still served him with a happy heart. Serving others was something that Jesus continuously emphasized throughout his teaching in the Bible.
Being others-orientated
Another thing emphasized is serving others first (Romans 12:13; Galatians 5:13 and finally Philippians 2:4.) In Matthew 25:35-40 it says, ” For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me. Then these righteous ones will reply, Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you? And the King will say, I tell you the truth when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!”
When we serve others, we are also serving Jesus! Let this be our encouragement: to experience the true joy of serving others and serving our Savior Jesus Christ.