The Walk of Faith
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Station 8 / 10

Serve and calling

Use what God has given you to love people.

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What this is

Jesus came to serve (Mark 10:45), and He calls His followers to do the same. Every Christian has gifts to serve others with, as a steward of God's grace (1 Peter 4:10).

Your first calling is to Jesus, then to those closest to you: spouse, children, ageing parents. Serving at church never replaces caring for your own family (1 Timothy 5:8).

Your work is also worship. Whether you teach, build, nurse, clean or study, do it with all your heart, for the Lord (Colossians 3:23-24).

Start where you are, with what you have. You often find your gifts by doing, and through what others see in you. Christians differ on some spiritual gifts, so ask your church how it understands them.

Hold on to this

As good stewards of the manifold grace of God, each of you should use whatever gift he has received to serve one another.
1 Peter 4:10 (BSB)Read the whole chapter: 1 Peter 4
Read slowly: Jesus washes feetJohn 13:1-17

1It was now just before the Passover Feast, and Jesus knew that His hour had come to leave this world and return to the Father. Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the very end. 2The evening meal was underway, and the devil had already put into the heart of Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3Jesus knew that the Father had delivered all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was returning to God. 4So He got up from the supper, laid aside His outer garments, and wrapped a towel around His waist. 5After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and dry them with the towel that was around Him. 6He came to Simon Peter, who asked Him, “Lord, are You going to wash my feet?” 7Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” 8“Never shall You wash my feet!” Peter told Him. Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with Me.” 9“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not only my feet, but my hands and my head as well!” 10Jesus told him, “Whoever has already bathed needs only to wash his feet, and he will be completely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you.” 11For He knew who would betray Him. That is why He said, “Not all of you are clean.” 12When Jesus had washed their feet and put on His outer garments, He reclined with them again and asked, “Do you know what I have done for you? 13You call Me Teacher and Lord, and rightly so, because I am. 14So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15I have set you an example so that you should do as I have done for you. 16Truly, truly, I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17If you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.

We have different gifts according to the grace given us. If one’s gift is prophecy, let him use it in proportion to his faith; if it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is giving, let him give generously; if it is leading, let him lead with diligence; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life.

Whatever you do, work at it with your whole being, for the Lord and not for men, because you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as your reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to the family of faith.

If anyone does not provide for his own, and especially his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

Where to next

  1. Take one role at churchAsk where help is needed and say yes to one regular task for three months.
  2. Ask others what they seeAsk two people who know you well where you help most. Others often see your gifts more clearly.
  3. Work as for the LordBefore work, pray: Lord, this is for You. Then do one task with extra care.
  4. Serve your family firstDo one practical thing at home this week without being asked.
  5. Meet one need nearbyLook around your street, workplace or school, and help one person practically.

Watch out: Waiting for a sign

Some people wait for a dramatic calling and miss the needs in front of them. God usually leads as you are faithful in small things (Luke 16:10).

Pray

Lord, everything I have comes from You. Show me how to use it to serve others, at home, at work and in Your church. Keep me humble and glad to serve, for Your glory and not mine.

4 weeks at this station

A short step most days, about five minutes, with two open days a week. Read any day ahead; you tick it off on its day.

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