Service to others

Luke 22:24-30

Also a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. Jesus said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. You are those who have stood by me in my trials. And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

This will be a five week long series on serving others. Instead of looking to what we can do for ourselves, let's look at what we can do for others.

Week one
Was He an angel?

"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?' Matthew 25:44

It was a Tuesday evening about nine o’clock. Rehearsal with the worship team had just finished. We were exhausted, hungry, and ready to go home. The lights were being turned out when a man in his early forties or so stepped through the door. He walked into the room and saw the piano and asked if he could play.

The man was untidy, to say the least. He was wearing several layers of clothing, they were rumpled and soiled, and he looked like he had gone a few days without a bath.
Reluctantly I told him he could play, so he sat down at the piano and began to play songs that I did not recognize. After just a few minutes, with my stomach growling at me, I told him that I needed to lock up and go home. He said, “Sure”, and quit playing. We chatted for a few minutes and I asked his name.

“Oh, you don’t need to know me, I’m nobody”, he said.

I tried to reason with him, telling him he was somebody. He continued to kindly but firmly say, “Look, I know what you are trying to do. Don’t bother.” We walked out, I locked the door, and we said goodbye.

Later it occurred to me, What if he was angel?

Suddenly I was overwhelmed with the joy of even thinking about such an encounter. I wanted to go back and find him, hoping we could talk some more. Then I felt such shame over my selfishness. I was ready to serve him if he was an angel. But then I had thought he was just another vagrant looking for handout, and I was tired and hungry.

Jesus said, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.' Matthew 25:45 In some amazing way, I am actually ministering to Jesus when I minister to the least of his.

Did you see an opportunity today to help others, but were too tired, too busy, too hungry, or too much in a hurry to help them? Pray for the times that you have turned away from reasonable service. Pray for help to see the genuine opportunities where you can serve Him. Pray that Jesus would help you love others with His compassion and bless them in the same way that Jesus has blessed you.