What Kind of Service? by Kim Reisman

Scripture Focus:

You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.

Philippians 2:5-8 (NLT)

Last week I encouraged you to reflect on things you might need to change in your life to have the same attitude as Christ Jesus. One aspect of Christ’s attitude was that he didn’t think of equality with God as something to cling to. It wasn’t something to be exploited. It’s not always easy to identify with this action of Jesus because we don’t see ourselves as being God or approaching equality with God. And yet, we would do well to press the issue.

In our current age of religious nationalism, where political perspectives are given religious significance, we would do well to question whether we see our relationship to God as something to be exploited. Even in more personal situations, how do we “use” our relationship to God? Do we use it to enhance our image in the community? Do we pray only when we’re pushed against the wall or when we want something?

If someone who knew you intimately wrote a biography of you, what would they write about most? What are the activities that demand most of your attention? Who are the persons to whom you give most of your time? What really excites you and gives you joy and meaning?

When the author specifically described your Christian life, what would they write about?

• what you believed and how tenaciously you held to certain doctrines?
• your faithfulness in church attendance?
• the positions you held in the church organization?
• your prayer life?
• how effectively you witnessed to the faith?

How much would they write about your lifestyle as a servant? How would they describe how you served? What would they say about whether you saw your relationship to God as something to be exploited?

The core issue is love. Love as the fruit of the Spirit must be love after the style of Jesus. As we’ve seen, this love is that of one who “gave up his divine privileges…took the humble position of a slave… humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.” Not many of us want to be servants like that, do we? Think about the way we serve. We choose when, where, how, and whom we will serve. We stay in charge. When we serve in the style of Jesus, we give up the right to be in charge. We empty ourselves and become vulnerable. We humble ourselves and give up control. We become obedient and sacrificially offer what we have and who we are. When we cease seeing our relationship to God as something to be exploited, we lose our fear of being stepped on, or manipulated, or taken advantage of. Love becomes the power for action that gives us the attitude of Christ Jesus and thus we look like him in the pattern of our lives.

As you pray and fast, reflect on the idea of someone writing a biography of you. What might the author write about that would make you happy? What do you wish the author could say about you, but your life is “not quite there yet?” As you reflect, I will be praying that you would move ever closer to a life that is in harmony with the pattern of Jesus.