Photo by Katherine Conrad on Unsplash
I remember when Kim and I were engaged we first encountered the 5 Love Languages and were prompted to ask the question, “are we really compatible?” As we discerned, Kim feels love by Acts of Service and I enjoy expressing love by Acts of Service.
“Great news, we’ve got a shot!”
Of course, I don’t put too much stock in the 5 Love Languages (love is, of course, more about commitment than compatibility), but the model gets one thing right: it is very biblical to see service as a primary way of expressing love.
Paul points our attention to love through service in Galatians 5:13-15. It reads:
13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another. (ESV)
Most of the time, in the New Testament, when we encounter the verb “to serve” it is translated from the Greek word diakoneo (Di – ahk – oh – neh – oh)
This essentially means “to serve the needs of others.” (where we get the word, deacon)
But, here in Galatians 5:13, Paul doesn’t use diakoneo. Instead, he uses another verb, douleo (doo – lay – oh) – which means “to serve as a slave.”
And we know, being inspired by the Holy Spirit, word choice is never accidental. What Paul calls for here is intense and it creates a provocative parallel in the chapter.
In 5:1, Paul had essentially said “you are free, don’t submit to slavery (salvation by works is a dead end).”
Then, in 5:13, he says “you are free, … be enslaved (indenture yourselves to one another in love—outdo one another in good works)”
That word play is supposed to grab our attention.
We can’t just yada-yada over the exhortation to serve one another.
This verse has all the same notes as John 13.
Kingdom Service
In John 13, we find Jesus in the upper room with his disciples. The night before he would sacrifice himself for them, he stooped low to serve them. He took a basin filled with water and a towel and he washed the grimy, mud-caked feet of his disciples. The master serving his followers. He then uses it as a teaching moment.
Beginning in John 13:12 the text says, 12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
Then, a few verses later, beginning in 34, he says, 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Jesus is connecting the dots for the disciples. Christian love is a love of sacrifice—a love of service.
In Galatians 5, when Paul calls for the church to serve one another through love—he’s imploring them to remember this moment.
To be like Jesus, to honor Jesus, is to serve like Jesus.
A Life of Service
In light of this encouragement, I want to share 12 practical ways we can grow in serving.
1. Serve by abiding in Christ
Your relationship with Christ is the most important you have. Not only are you your most healthy when you cultivate this relationship, but you bless others when Christ’s living water bubbles out of you for their benefit.
2. Serve by walking by the Spirit
Galatians 5 continues on to urge Christians to “walk by the Spirit” in such a way that the desires of the Spirit win out. In each of us there’s a spiritual battle (gratify the flesh or rest in the satisfaction of Christ). When we walk by the Spirit, our lives exude the fruit of the Spirit—and most, if not all, of these are others oriented.
3. Serve to use gifts
The New Testament is clear—in addition to the gift of the Spirit, God has given each Christian various traits and skills which are intended to be of service to the church. (see 1 Peter 4:10-11)
Don’t neglect the gifts God has given to you—that may mean asking help from others to identify your gifts or in figuring out how you might could use them.
4. Serve to meet needs
On the one hand, we are each given gifts for diverse service in the church—we should seek out ways to use these gifts. On the other hand, sometimes we’ve got to be patient waiting for opportunities to use our gifts—in those seasons, we still are called to serve the needs that exist. You may be gifted to play the accordion—but it’s possible that instrument doesn’t fit your church’s musical vibes.
5. Serve to enjoy
Some times in the church, when we talk about service, it can feel like a buzzkill. Like a telemarketer on the phone trying to recruit you for something. Here’s the thing—whereas our flesh says serving is something I should avoid, the Spirit says it’s something we should long for eagerly.
John Piper says, “God is most glorified in us, when we are most satisfied in Him.” Serving is a way to exercise this muscle of finding our satisfaction in God.
6. Serve to obey
Serving should be a joy, but remember—it’s joyful because it honors the command of Christ. Too often we associate obedience with begrudgement—I’m doing something against my will because I have to.
Christian, remember that obedience to Christ is life giving. Yes, Jesus didn’t intend for serving to be optional—but, you know what?...he called us to serve because it allows us to tap into our original created purpose to cultivate the world and multiply worshippers. It's for our good to obey our master.
7. Serve to cultivate relational depth
One of the best byproducts of serving is growing in closeness with others as we serve. I can’t tell you the number of times Kim has told me how fruitful the conversation with another girl had been while they served together holding babies or wrangling toddlers in the nursery. It’s an alley-oop for discipleship.
8. Serve, but remain “anonymous”
While serving can and should help us strengthen relationships, sometimes serving is good for us when it keeps us in the background.
Jesus warned the Pharisees against performing righteous deeds in front of an audience—it showed the true motivation of their hearts. Are you willing to serve even if no one is able to acknowledge it? Are you able to keep silent when someone else gets the credit for your act of service? That’s a good thing—that’s called sanctification.
9. Serve with commitment
There’s something to be said for a healthy rhythm of serving. It’s good for the soul, but also it demonstrates a heart of dedication. We’ll not only to grow in being others-focused, but also in being dependable and reliable for others. It’s one thing to serve from the overflow of joy, it’s another to serve when you’ve had a bad day and you really just don’t want to. What a helpful reminder God gives in these moments that our comfort can never be our supreme aim.
10. Serve with spontaneity
Some of us are on the OCD side of things (e.g. If it’s Tuesday you won’t let yourself eat a turkey sandwich, because Wednesday is Turkey sandwich day!). Opportunities to serve are not always clean-cut and neatly packaged.
Sometimes it’s good to go searching for a random way to serve. And sometimes serving finds you--the needs just drop into your lap.
11. Serve Christians
It is by our intra-familial love that the world will see the compelling nature of the gospel—by our showing of grace to one another, extending forgiveness, and, yes, by serving one another—even when it’s hard.
12. Serve Non-Christians
We are intended to operate as if we are enslaved to our brothers and sisters in Christ, but just as our master did, we should also give our lives for the lost. Though we won’t all move overseas to serve unreached peoples, we’re all called to be missionaries. The life of a Christian is one of love and longsuffering and compassion. Our proclamation of the gospel may miss the hearer if we withhold a heart of service from our coworkers and classmates.
We’re experiencing increasing dissonance with the outside culture as moral confusion multiplies. But in the same way that Christians must stay firm and resolute on our beliefs, we must stay fervent and relentless to care for the world with the hope and redemption of the gospel.