By Charles Swindoll
My Personal Takeaways →Improving Your Serve is Swindoll’s extended reflection on the spiritual discipline of servanthood — what it looks like to genuinely serve others without an agenda, without recognition, and without keeping score. Drawing on the life of Jesus and the model of the towel and basin, Swindoll dismantles the pride and self-protection that quietly prevents most Christians from serving wholeheartedly.
The book is pastoral and convicting without being guilt-inducing. Read this if you serve publicly but feel dry privately, or if you’ve noticed that your giving has strings attached. Implement it by identifying one act of service per week that no one will ever see — anonymous generosity, quiet support, invisible sacrifice — and tracking how it reshapes your heart over 90 days.
By Charles Swindoll
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.
When Jesus took the time to explain His reason for coming among us, He was simple and direct: to serve and to give. Not to be served. Not to grab the spotlight in the center ring.
I can’t help but think of Isaiah’s marvelous prophecy of the coming Messiah. God says: “Behold, My Servant. He will not cry out or raise His voice, nor make His voice heard in the street. A bruised reed He will not break, and a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice” (Isaiah 42:1–3). What a marvelous picture. But how unusual the prophet’s words must have sounded to the people of that day! God proclaimed ages before it happened that the Savior would come as a gentle servant, a leader who would transform the world and bring forth justice, but not with loud harangues or offensive threats. He would do it with love. Gentle as a lamb. And because He was to come in peace, as a gentle servant, Jesus Christ would succeed in changing the world forever. And He would bring real and lasting justice!
Serving and giving don’t come naturally. Living an unselfish life is an art!
This is not a book for giving people the warm fuzzies. It’s meant to be applied. You don’t have to be brilliant or gifted to pull off these truths in your life. But you do have to be willing.
Hoarding and flaunting have replaced sharing and caring.
For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren. Maybe you’ve never before stopped to consider that God is committed to one major objective in the lives of all His people: to conform us to “the image of His Son.”
No mumbo jumbo. Just a straight-from-the-shoulder admission. He came to serve and to give. It makes sense, then, to say that God desires the same for us. After bringing us into His family through faith in His Son, the Lord God sets His sights on building into us the same quality that made Jesus distinct from all others in His day. He is engaged in building into His people the same serving and giving qualities that characterized His Son.
But Jesus called them to Himself, and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. “It is not so among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:25–28).
You’re probably saying, “But there must be leadership to get the job done.” Yes, I agree. But it must be servant-hearted leadership among all. You see, I am not interested in which form of government you or your church may embrace, but only that everyone involved in that ministry (whether leader or not) sees himself as one who serves, one who gives. It’s the attitude that is most important. Perhaps the finest model, except Christ Himself, was that young Jew from Tarsus who was radically transformed from a strong-willed official in Judaism to a bond servant of Jesus Christ—Paul.
Almost without exception he begins every piece of correspondence with words to this effect: “Paul, a servant” or “Paul, a bond-slave.”
Let me suggest a couple of revealing tests of humility: 1. A nondefensive spirit when confronted. This reveals a willingness to be accountable. Genuine humility operates on a rather simple philosophy: Nothing to prove. Nothing to lose.
A true servant stays in touch with the struggles others experience. There is that humility of mind that continually looks for ways to serve and to give.
Being real, that’s the major message of this chapter—being who you really are and then allowing the Lord God to develop within you a style of serving that fits you.
“The trouble with success is that the formula is the same as the one for a nervous breakdown.” And what is that? Work longer hours, push ahead, let nothing hinder your quest—not your marriage or family, not your convictions or conscience, not your health or friends. Be aggressive, and if necessary mean, as you press toward the top. You gotta be smart, slick, and sly if success is the bottom line of your agenda. It’s the same old fortune-fame-power-pleasure line we’ve been fed for decades.
You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you (1 Peter 5:5–7).
Following God’s directives will bring the one benefit not found in the world’s empty promises: a deep sense of lasting satisfaction. It’s what we could call the forgotten side of success. And I would add that it is the success that will come to those who wish to develop the heart of a servant.
We ridicule, we dominate, we criticize. We cut a person to ribbons with our words. And then we develop ways to keep from admitting it. “I’m not dogmatic, I’m just sure of myself.” “I’m not judging, I’m discerning.” “I’m not argumentative, I’m simply trying to prove a point.” “I’m not stubborn, just confident! And all this comes pouring out of our mouths with hardly a second thought.
Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; do not merely look out for your own personal interests but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus (Philippians 2:3–5).
Not a getter, but a giver. Not one who holds a grudge, but a forgiver. Not one who keeps score, but a forgetter. Not a superstar, but a servant.
Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others (Philippians 2:3–4).
Lord, show me how You would respond to others, then make it happen in me.”
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer; contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality (Romans 12:10–13).
For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake (2 Corinthians 4:5).
For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another (Galatians 5:13).
Therefore encourage one another, and build up one another, just as you also are doing (1 Thessalonians 2:7–8; 5:11).
And let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24).
Instead of always thinking about receiving, we’ll start looking for ways to give. Instead of holding grudges against those who offended us, we’ll be anxious to forgive. And instead of keeping a record of what we’ve done or who we’ve helped, we’ll take delight in forgetting the deed(s) and being virtually unnoticed.
Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia, that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality. For I testify that according to their ability and beyond their ability they gave of their own accord, begging us with much entreaty for the favor of participation in the support of the saints, and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God (2 Corinthians 8:1–5).
A great proof of true servanthood is anonymity.
Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7).
How many people are hurting but don’t feel free to say so until we voluntarily reach out to them?
The servants in Macedonia first gave themselves and then they gave their gifts.
And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.”
For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.
He promises us that “he who is generous will be blessed” (Proverbs 22:9).
Become a giver, and watch God open the hearts of others to Himself.
Forgiveness is not an elective in the curriculum of servanthood. It is a required course, and the exams are always tough to pass.
He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us (Psalms 103:1–5, 10–12).
Ephesians 4:31–32, which says: Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.
The slave therefore falling down, prostrated himself before him, saying, “Have patience with me, and I will repay you everything.” And the lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and forgave him the debt. But that slave went out and found one of his fellow-slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and he seized him and began to choke him, saying, “Pay back what you owe.” So his fellow-slave fell down and began to entreat him, saying, “Have patience with me and I will repay you.” He was unwilling however, but went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed. So when his fellow-slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their lord all that had happened. Then summoning him, his lord said to him, “You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you entreated me. “Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow-slave, even as I had mercy on you?” And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him (Matthew 18:23–24).
This was an incredible debt (about $10,000,000!) requiring infinite forgiveness, which the king provided (read verse 27 again)—a beautiful reminder of God’s forgiving the sinner.
We are to forgive as we have been forgiven! Release the poison of all that bitterness … let it gush out before God, and declare the sincere desire to be free. It’s one of the major steps each of us must take toward becoming God’s model of a servant.
Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered.
Love has good manners and does not pursue selfish advantage. It is not touchy. It does not keep account of evil or gloat over the wickedness of other people. On the contrary, it is glad with all good men when truth prevails.
Do not judge lest you be judged yourselves. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it shall be measured to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, “Let me take the speck out of your eye,” and behold, the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye; and then you will see clearly enough to take the speck out of your brother’s eye (Matthew 7:1–5).
So then, as we talk about “forgetting,” let’s understand that we mean: • Refusing to keep score (1 Corinthians 13:5). • Being bigger than any offense (Psalms 119:165). • Harboring no judgmental attitude (Matthew 7:1–5).
But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ (vv. 7–9).
I don’t mean to say I am perfect. I haven’t learned all I should even yet, but I keep working toward that day when I will finally be all that Christ saved me for and wants me to be. No, dear brothers, I am still not all I should be but I am bringing all my energies to bear on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God is calling us up to heaven because of what Christ Jesus did for us (vv. 12–14).
Woven into those words are these three statements: 1. “I have not arrived.” 2. “I forget what is behind.” 3. “I move on to what is ahead.” Within each of these three statements, I find an important characteristic of servanthood: vulnerability, humility, and determination.
Very near the end of his full and productive life, Paul wrote: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7). What a grand epitaph!
That form of mind reprogramming turns a human being into a puppet, a slave without personal dignity, without the privilege to think and to ask questions, and without the joy of serving others willingly under the control and authority of Jesus Christ.
Weak and meek people can become the prey of such paranoid, self-appointed messiahs, resulting not in spiritual growth, but in exploitation and the loss of human dignity.
The familiar words of Paul in Romans 12:1–2 need to be reviewed. I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
Living differently begins with thinking differently. A life that is characterized by serving others begins in a mind that is convinced of such a life. That explains why that great section of Scripture describing Christ’s willingness to take upon Himself the form of a servant begins with the words: “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 2:5).
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete. You are looking at things as they are outwardly. If any one is confident in himself that he is Christ’s, let him consider this again within himself, that just as he is Christ’s, so also are we.
Make me a man who asks of you and of others, what can I do for you?
What do you want to be when you grow up?” That’s a favorite question we enjoy asking children. Let’s take that same question and ask it another way. Let’s imagine asking Jesus Christ what He wants us to be when we grow up. Suddenly, it’s a whole new question. I honestly believe He would give the same answer to every one of us: “I want you to be different … to be a servant.” In all my life I cannot recall anybody ever saying that when he grew up he wanted to be a servant.
Serving God receives a favorable response; serving people, especially those who cannot repay, has no visible benefit or glory from anyone except from God! Christ gave us the example: “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). To be a servant of God we must be a servant of people.
The scriptural account of His “Sermon on the Mount” is found in Matthew 5, 6, and 7. If I were asked to suggest an overall theme of this grand sermon, it would be “Be different!” Time and again He states the way things were among the religious types of their day, and then He instructs them to be different. For example: Matthew 5:21–22: “You have heard … but I say to you… .” Matthew 5:27–28: “You have heard … but I say to you… .” Matthew 5:33–34: “Again, you have heard … but I say to you… .” Matthew 5:38–39: “You have heard … but I say to you… . ” Matthew 5:43–44: “You have heard … but I say to you… .” In Matthew 6, He further explains how they were to be different when they gave to the needy (6:2), and when they prayed (6:5) and when they fasted (6:16). The key verse in the entire sermon is, “Therefore, do not be like them …” (6:8). You see, Jesus saw through all the pride and hypocrisy of others and was determined to instill in His disciples character traits of humility and authenticity.
In the introduction of Jesus’ sermon, doubtlessly the most familiar section is found in Matthew 5:1–12. Commonly called “The Beatitudes,” this section is the most descriptive word-portrait of a servant ever recorded.
And when He saw the multitudes, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. And opening His mouth He began to teach them, saying, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. “Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when men revile you, and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, on account of Me. “Rejoice, and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5: 1–12).
These are eight character traits that identify true servanthood. When all eight are mixed together in a life, balance emerges. It is helpful to realize this is not a “multiple choice” list where we are free to pick and choose our favorites. Our Savior has stated very clearly those qualities that lead to a different lifestyle which pleases Him. A close examination of each is therefore essential.
“The Poor in Spirit”
So in Hebrew the word poor was used to describe the humble and the helpless man who put his whole trust in God.
What an excellent way to begin the servant’s portrait! It is the portrait of one who sees himself/herself as spiritually bankrupt, deserving of nothing … who turns to Almighty God in total trust.
A special promise follows the trait of spiritual helplessness: “… for theirs is the kingdom of heaven,” says Jesus. The indispensable condition of receiving a part in the kingdom of heaven is acknowledging our spiritual poverty. The person with a servant’s heart—not unlike a child trusting completely in his parent’s provision—is promised a place in Christ’s kingdom. The opposite attitude is clearly revealed in that Laodicean congregation, where Christ rebuked them with severe words. They were so proud, they were blind to their own selfishness: I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I would that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked (Revelations 3:15–17).
“Those Who Mourn”
“The Gentle”
“Those Who Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness”
The true servant possesses an insatiable appetite for what is right, a passionate drive for justice. Spiritually speaking, the servant is engaged in a pursuit of God … a hot, restless, eager longing to walk with Him, to please Him.
But there is a practical side of this fourth beatitude as well. It includes not just looking upward, pursuing a vertical holiness, but also looking around and being grieved over the corruption, the inequities, the gross lack of integrity, the moral compromises that abound. The servant “hungers and thirsts” for right on earth. Unwilling simply to sigh and shrug off the lack of justice and purity as inevitable, servants press on for righteousness.
Before examining the final four character traits of a servant in the next chapter, let’s ask ourselves these questions (try to answer each one directly and honestly): • Am I really different! • Do I take all this seriously … so much so that I am willing to change? • Is it coming through to me that serving others is one of the most Christlike attitudes I can have? • What significant difference will the ideas expressed in this chapter have on my life? The bottom-line question is not “What do you want to be when you grow up?” but “What are you becoming, now that you’re grown?”
“The Merciful”
Mercy is concern for people in need. It is ministry to the miserable. Offering help for those who hurt … who suffer under the distressing blows of adversity and hardship.
Those special servants of God who extend mercy to the miserable often do so with much encouragement because they identify with the sorrowing—they “get inside their skin.” Rather than watching from a distance or keeping the needy safely at arm’s length, they get in touch, involved, and offer assistance that alleviates some of the pain.
If you had a friend who is in need … and you say to him, “Well, good-bye and God bless you; stay warm and eat hearty,” and then don’t give him clothes or food, what good does that do? (James 2:15–16).
The apostle John probes even deeper when he asks: … if someone who is supposed to be a Christian … sees a brother in need, and won’t help him—how can God’s love be within him? (1 John 3:17).
True servants are merciful. They care. They get involved. They get dirty, if necessary. They offer more than pious words.
“The Pure in Heart”
It does not refer simply to doing the right things, but doing the right things for the right reason.
In Matthew 23—one of the most severe rebukes against hypocrisy in all the Bible—we find words in strong contrast with the beatitudes. Instead of eight “Blessed are you’s,” there are eight “Woe unto you’s.” Count them—Matthew 23:13, 14, 15, 16, 23, 25, 27, and 29! Woe unto whom? Well, read verses 25–28. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. Even so you too outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. Wow, Jesus said that! It is doubtful He despised anything among those who claimed to serve God more than hypocrisy—a lack of purity of heart.
They were big on rules and little on godliness. • They were big on externals and little on internals. • They were big on public commands and little on personal obedience. • They were big on appearance and little on reality.
Did you know that the word hypocrite comes from the ancient Greek plays? An actor would place a large, grinning mask in front of his face and quote his comedy lines as the audience would roar with laughter. He would then slip backstage and grab a frowning, sad, oversized mask and come back quoting tragic lines as the audience would moan and weep. Guess what he was called. A hupocritos, one who wears a mask. Servants who are “pure in heart” have peeled off their masks. And God places special blessing on their lives.
“The Peacemakers”
• It does not mean, “Blessed are those who avoid all conflict and confrontations.” • Neither does it mean, “Blessed are those who are laid back, easygoing, and relaxed.” • Nor, “Blessed are those who defend a ‘peace at any price’ philosophy.” • It doesn’t mean, “Blessed are the passive, those who compromise their convictions when surrounded by those who would disagree.
If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men (Romans 12 18). So then let us pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another (Romans 14:19). For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. And you are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel (James 3: 16–4:2).
A “peacemaker” is the servant who first, is at peace with himself—internally, at ease, not agitated, ill-tempered, in turmoil, and therefore not abrasive. Second, he/she works hard to settle quarrels, not start them, is accepting, tolerant, and finds no pleasure in being negative.
The Lord Jesus states a marvelous promise that peacemakers can claim: “… they shall be called sons of God.” God’s children. Few things are more godlike than peace. When we promote it, pursue it, model it, we are linked directly with Him.
“Those Who Have Been Persecuted”
Did you notice something? Not “if” men revile you … but “when” they revile you. And not only will they revile you, they will persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you—lies and slanderous accusations. Clearly, Jesus is speaking of being viciously mistreated. It’s tough to bear! But the Savior says you will be “blessed” when you endure it— promising a great reward for your patient, mature endurance. There are times when the only way servants can make it through such severe times without becoming bitter is by focusing on the ultimate rewards that are promised. Jesus even says we are to “rejoice and be glad” as we think on the great rewards He will give to us in heaven.
He has described our calling by explaining our role as: • Poor in spirit • Mourning • Gentle • Hungering and thirsting for righteousness • Merciful • Pure in heart • Peacemakers • Persecuted.
Nevertheless, strange as it may seem, He went on to tell that handful of Palestinian peasants (and all godly servants in every generation) that their influence would be nothing short of remarkable. They would be “the salt of the earth” and they would be “the light of the world.” And so shall we! So far-reaching would be the influence of servants in society, their presence would be as significant as salt on food and as light on darkness. Neither is loud or externally impressive, but both are essential.
But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; and avoid such men as these. For among them are those who enter into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth (2 Tim. 3:1–7).
Salt is shaken and sprinkled … not poured. It must be spread out. Too much salt ruins food. A good reminder for Christians to spread out rather than stay huddled all together. • Salt adds flavor … but it’s obscure. No one ever comments, “My, this is good salt.” We frequently say, however, “The food is really tasty.” Servants add zest to life, a flavor impossible to achieve without them. • Salt is unlike any other seasoning. Its difference, however, is its strength. It can’t be duplicated, and it must be applied before it is useful.
Does it seem important to you that Christ calls us what He called Himself? Again therefore Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world; he who follows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12).
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do men light a lamp, and put it under the peck-measure, but on the lampstand; and it gives light to all who are in the house (Matt. 5:14–16).
“I am different.” Probably the greatest tragedy of Christianity through its changing and checkered history has been our tendency to become like the world rather than completely different from it. The prevailing culture has sucked us in like a huge vacuum cleaner, and we have done an amazing job of conforming.
… always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh (2 Cor. 4:10–11).
And the Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will (2 Tim. 2:24–26).
More often than not, you will be overlooked, passed up, behind the scenes, and virtually unknown. Your reward will not come from without, but from within. Not from people, but from the satisfaction God gives you down inside.
“Why are you planning this?” “What’s the reason behind your doing that?” “Why did you say yes (or no)?” “What is the motive for writing that letter?” “Why are you excited over this opportunity?” “What causes you to bring up that subject?” “Why did you mention his/her name?” “What’s your motive,
…the most phenomenal Person who ever cast a shadow across earth’s landscape. Without question, He is unique. He is awesome in the truest sense of the term. But what was He like personally down inside His skin? Is there any place, for example, where He describes Himself? The answer is yes. Does that description fit the common idea of human greatness? The answer is no. Unlike most influential, celebrity types, Jesus’ description of Himself doesn’t sound like the popular hype we’ve grown accustomed to hearing.
I have found only one place where Jesus Christ—in His own words—describes His own “inner man.” In doing so, He uses only two words. Unlike the Los Angeles celebrity, those words are not phenomenal and great. He doesn’t even mention that He was sought after as a speaker. Although it is true, He doesn’t say: “I am wise and powerful,” or “I am holy and eternal,” or “I am all-knowing and absolute deity.” Do you know what He said? Hold on, it may surprise you. Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and YOU SHALL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS (Matt. 11:28–29).
When we read that God the Father is committed to forming us to the image of His Son, qualities such as these are what He wants to see emerge. We are never more like Christ than when we fit into His description of Himself.
And how do those things reveal themselves? In what way do we reveal them the best? In our obedience.
The scene before us in this chapter occurred in first-century Jerusalem. Paved roads were few. In fact, within most cities they were unheard of. The roads and alleys in Jerusalem were more like winding dirt trails, all covered with a thick layer of dust. When the rains came, those paths were liquid slush, several inches of thick mud. It was the custom, therefore, for the host to provide a slave at the door of his home to wash the feet of the dinner guests as they arrived. The servant knelt with a pitcher of water, a pan, and a towel and washed the dirt or mud off the feet as each guest prepared to enter the home. Shoes, boots, and sandals were left at the door, a custom still prevalent in the Far East. If a home could not afford a slave, one of the early arriving guests would graciously take upon himself the role of the house servant and wash the feet of those who came. What is interesting is that none of the disciples had volunteered for that lowly task … so the room was filled with proud hearts and dirty feet. Interestingly, those disciples were willing to fight for a throne, but not a towel.
Jesus never said, “Men, I am now going to demonstrate servanthood— watch my humility.” No way. That kind of obvious pride was the trademark of the Pharisees.
Unlike those pious frauds, the Messiah slipped away from the table, quietly pulled off His outer tunic, and with towel, pitcher, and pan in hand, He moved quietly from man to man.
Peter wasn’t about to be that vulnerable. After all, Jesus was the Master. No way was He going to wash the dirt off Peter’s feet! I ask you, is that humility? You know it’s not. Being willing to receive sometimes takes more grace than giving to others. And our reluctance to do so really exposes our pride, doesn’t it?
There is no way to remove the jab and the twist from Christ’s words to Peter. He said, in effect, “If you do not allow Me to do this, that is it. Get out!” Anybody who lives under the delusion that Christ was rather weak and spineless has overlooked such statements as this one. Being a servant in no way implies there will never be a confrontation or strong words shared with others. The Lord may choose to use the reproof of a servant who has earned the right to be heard even more often than that of an aggressive leader type.
“You call Me Teacher, and Lord; and you are right; for so I am. “If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. “For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you. “Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master; neither one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. “If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them” (John 13:13–17).
Now here’s the clincher, verse 15: “For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you.” Let’s read it in a much more popular way: “I gave you an example that you should study about it on Sundays.” No. Or … “I gave you an example that you should form discussion groups and meditate on it.” No. Or how about … “I gave you an example that you should memorize My words and repeat them often.” No. Jesus said it plainly. He was looking for action, not theory. “I gave you an example that you should do as I did to you.”
We cannot serve one another in absentia or at arm’s length. It means if someone is drowning in a troubled sea, we get wet, we get in touch. It means if someone drifts away, we don’t ignore that person, we reach out to help and restore. Nobody ever learned how to water ski in the living room through a correspondence course. You have to get into the water and get personally involved. Think about this. Honestly now, are you willing to get involved and help at least one person in need? Willingness must precede involvement.
Just studying about it or discussing it produces no lasting happiness. The fun comes when we roll up our sleeves, wrap the towel around our waist, and wash a few feet … quietly … graciously … cheerfully … like Christ who was “gentle” and “humble in heart.”
We Americans like things to be logical and fair. We not only like that, we operate our lives on that basis. Logic and fairness are big guns in our society. Meaning this: If I do what is right, good will come to me, and if I do what is wrong, bad things will happen to me. Right brings rewards and wrong brings consequences. That’s a very logical and fair axiom of life, but there’s only one problem with it. It isn’t always true. Life doesn’t work out quite that well.
If we serve others long enough, we will suffer wrong treatment for doing right things. Knowing all this ahead of time will help “improve your serve,” believe me.
Listen to 1 Peter 3:17–18: For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong. For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, in order that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit.
I’m not aware of a more moving section of Scripture than these verses out of Hebrews 11, which declare the reality of the consequences of serving: And some women, through faith, received their loved ones back again from death. But others trusted God and were beaten to death, preferring to die rather than turn from God and be free—trusting that they would rise to a better life afterwards. Some were laughed at and their backs cut open with whips, and others were chained in dungeons. Some died by stoning and some by being sawed in two; others were promised freedom if they would renounce their faith, then were killed with the sword. Some went about in skins of sheep and goats, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in dens and caves. They were hungry and sick and ill-treated—too good for this world. And these men of faith, though they trusted God and won his approval, none of them received all that God had promised them (Hebrews 11:35–39).
My major goal in this chapter is to help prepare you for the inevitable. Bitterness is often bred in a context of disillusionment. Many a Christian, unfortunately, is sidelined today, eaten up by the acid of resentment and bitterness, because he or she was mistreated after doing what was right.
For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the surpassing greatness of the power may be of God and not from ourselves (2 Corinthians 4:5–7). Words of an honest, humble, transparent servant. We Christians have received a priceless treasure (the glorious gospel) in a very frail and perishable container (our weak bodies). There is a reason. So nobody will have any question about the source of power, it must be of God and not of any human origin.
We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed (2 Corinthians 4:8–9).
If you get serious about being shaped into Christ’s image, you’ll have to learn to cope with the consequences. Those who serve will suffer. Let’s read these verses slowly: Are they servants of Christ? (I speak as if insane) I more so; in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death. Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure upon me of concern for all the churches (2 Corinthians 11:23–28).
For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal (2 Corinthians 4:10–11, 16–18). That sounds beautiful, almost poetic. However, it is one thing to read it as black print on a white page, but it’s another thing entirely to embrace that mind-set when all hell breaks loose against us.
Here is the first truth to claim when enduring the consequences of suffering: Nothing touches me that has not passed through the hands of my heavenly Father. Nothing. Whatever occurs, God has sovereignly surveyed and approved. We may not know why (we may never know why), but we do know our pain is no accident to Him who guides our lives. He is, in no way, surprised by it all. Before it ever touches us, it passes through Him. The second truth to claim is this: Everything I endure is designed to prepare me for serving others more effectively. Everything. Since my heavenly Father is committed to shaping me into the image of His Son, He knows the ultimate value of this painful experience. It is a necessary part of the preparation process. It is being used to empty our hands of our own resources, our own sufficiency, and turn us back to Him—the faithful Provider. And God knows what will get through to us.
Ultimately, we shall spend eternity with God in the place He has prepared for us. And part of that exciting anticipation is His promise to reward His servants for a job well done. I don’t know many believers in Jesus Christ who never think of being with their Lord in heaven, receiving His smile of acceptance, and hearing His “well done, good and faithful servant.” We even refer to one who died in this way: “He has gone home to his reward.”
The bride eyes not her garment, But her dear bridegroom’s face; I will not gaze at glory, But on my King of grace: Not at the crown He giveth, But on His piercéd hand; The Lamb is all the glory of Emmanuel’s land.
In 1 Corinthians 3:10–14 we read: According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise masterbuilder I laid a foundation, and another is building upon it. But let each man be careful how he builds upon it. For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds upon the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it, because it is to be revealed with fire; and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built upon it remains, he shall receive a reward.
Now don’t misunderstand. There are earthly rewards. Even the world provides certain people with special honors: the Pulitzer Prize, Nobel Peace Prize, Academy Awards, Emmy, Tony, Grammy … and we all know that athletes win All-American honors or All-Pro and the Heisman Trophy. The military also offers medals of bravery, like the Navy Cross, the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star, and the Medal of Honor. But when it comes to servanthood, God reserves special honor for that day when “each man’s work will become evident” and “he shall receive a reward” (3:13–14). Most of the rewards servants will receive will be given after death, not before.
Did you notice this in those verses from 1 Corinthians? “… the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work” (emphasis mine). We humans are impressed with size and volume and noise and numbers. It is easy to forget that God’s eye is always on motive, authenticity, the real truth beneath the surface, never the external splash. When He rewards servants, it will be based on quality—which means everybody has an equal opportunity to receive a reward.
But be assured, fellow servant, when that day in eternity dawns, when time shall be no more on this earth, no act of serving others be it well known or unknown by others will be forgotten.
You can be a “nobody” in the eyes of this world and your faithful God will, someday, reward your every act of servanthood. Rewards may be postponed, but they will not be forgotten forever. Unlike many people today, God keeps His promises.
Hebrews 6:10, which reads: For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered and in still ministering to the saints.
And we are anxious that you keep right on loving others as long as life lasts, so that you will get your full reward. Then, knowing what lies ahead for you, you won’t become bored with being a Christian, nor become spiritually dull and indifferent, but you will be anxious to follow the example of those who receive all that God has promised them because of their strong faith and patience (Hebrews 6:11–12).
So, my dear brothers, since future victory is sure, be strong and steady, always abounding in the Lord’s work, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever wasted as it would be if there were no resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:58).
And let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith (Galatians 6:9–10).
With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free (Ephesians 6:7–8).
All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God (v. 15).
Christ Himself, while preparing the Twelve for a lifetime of serving others, promised an eternal reward even for holding out a cup of cool water. Listen: “He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. “And whoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink, truly I say to you he shall not lose his reward” (Matthew 10:41–42).
“But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. “And all the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on the left. “Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. ‘For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.’ “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You drink? ‘And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You? ‘And when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ “And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me”’ (Matthew 25:31–40).
There are at least five crowns promised in the Bible:
After receiving these crowns, what then? Listen to Revelation 4:9–11: And when the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying, “Worthy art Thou, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for Thou didst create all things, and because of Thy will they existed, and were created.” What a scene! All God’s servants are before His throne. What are they doing? Strutting around heaven displaying their crowns? No. Separated from one another, like peacocks, proudly displaying their tangible trophies? No. The servants are bowing in worship, having cast all crowns before their Lord in adoration and praise, ascribing worth and honor to the only One deserving of praise—the Lord God!
It is difficult to cultivate a servant’s heart when you are trying to survive in a chaotic society dominated by selfish pursuits. And the greatest tragedy of such an existence is what it spawns: an independent, self-sufficient, survival-of-the-fittest mentality.
Jesus phrased it well. “For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves?” Naturally, His disciples would say, the lesser should serve the greater. All of life proves that. Those with no clout should do the dirty work for those who have the power. Right? But Jesus, their Lord and Master, turned the tables on them, by saying: “Yet I am among you as the One who serves” (Luke 22:27).
First, every act of servanthood—no matter how small or large— will be remembered by God. Second, He takes special note of the heart—He knows the love behind our actions. Third, as servants reach out to others, Christ’s life is modeled and a spirit of thankfulness is stimulated. Fourth, special and specific rewards are reserved in heaven for those who practice the art of unselfish living.