After casting his vision for relationships in Matt. 5-7, Jesus fleshes out that vision in Matt. 8-10. He shows us what service really looks like. Jesus cleanses a leper, heals the servant of a centurion, cures many, casts demons from two men, raises a paralytic, stops a woman’s bleeding, restores life to a little girl, gives sight to two blind men, and enables a mute man to speak. Jesus’ service takes many forms.
In the same way, so can ours. For example, John Ortberg writes about three general ways to practice service.[i]
- First, we can practice what he calls “the ministry of the mundane”—simple acts of kindness that are not flashy and seem somewhat insignificant. This could include comforting a crying child, assisting someone stalled by the side of the road, or picking up things that aren’t yours and putting them in their right place.
- Second, we can practice the “ministry of being interrupted”—being available for people who interrupt whatever it is we are doing at the moment. While we need some protection of our schedule, we can learn to be flexible and take care of someone’s needs even when it doesn’t fit our timetable.
- Third, we can practice the “ministry of holding your tongue.” Rather than speaking up in a meeting to let everyone know just how much you know, you could choose to be quiet. Rather than bragging to others about our accomplishments, we can refrain from talking.
Adele Calhoun adds to this list: [ii]
- Ask your spouse, roommate, or a colleague every morning for two weeks, “What can I do for you today?” (One woman I know lives with her adult daughter. She recently started asking this question each morning and it’s left her daughter speechless!)
- Develop a yearly practice of getting involved in one intentional service, mission or relief project.
- Sign up to set up or take down after an event—the least sought after job at an event.
- Making a list of people whose services you receive (teachers, ministers, caretakers, etc.) and then do one thing for each of those people.
There are endless ways to serve. Take ten minutes today and practice one of these acts of kindness for someone.
[i] John Ortberg, The Life You’ve Always Wanted (Zondervan, 1997), 109-118.
[ii] Adele Calhoun, SpiritualDisciplines Handbook (IVP, 2005), 146, 185.
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