What is a Rhythm of Service?
When I put my head on the pillow at night, I usually find myself thinking through all the tasks waiting for me the next day. If I’m not careful, I keep myself up late in the night worrying over every responsibility, big or small. And, if I’m honest, even if I do successfully accomplish every job the next day, my “reward” is that I just start thinking about the next set of tasks… the next set of responsibilities and appointments.
It doesn’t stop. But, I’ve found that a satisfying disruptor to all that busyness and worry is to keep a regular practice of serving God’s people. Let’s talk about service, or said another way, let’s talk about being helpful for our neighbor’s sake.
Having a regular rhythm of serving God’s people benefits the community. Whether it’s mowing the lawn for a neighbor that can’t or teaching Sunday School, when we give our time and talents for the benefit of others, we all find ourselves uplifted. The lawn is taken care of and the kids learn the about Word of God. But, beyond the obvious help to the community a regular rhythm of serving benefits your spirit.
When we keep the practice of regularly putting our time and effort toward the needs of others, it’s like spiritual exercise. It’s a muscle that needs regular exercise to grow, or it will weaken if not used regularly. Serving others gives us the perspective of Jesus and, with that perspective, hopefully, we take on the attitude of Jesus. Look at Philippians chapter two for insight on Jesus’ perspective on serving others.
Philippians 2:3-7
3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
7 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
I’ve learned that focusing on my tasks, responsibilities, and worries can turn into navel-gazing. And, worry just compounds. But, if I lift my head and focus on others as Jesus did…
If I can find a pattern or a rhythm of serving others, I benefit and the community around me benefits. And, when we all can “value others above yourselves” and “[look] to the interests of others” we find a stronger community.
by: Aaron Shaver, Life Community Church Elder