Serving without Expectation

What's in it for me?

Isn't that what we hear to often in our society?  People aren't willing to help unless they receive some kind of financial or personal benefit from participating.  We hear it in the political process, the church, the office and the school. We all want something in return for our service.

But that's not the way God designed service.  He intends for us to serve without an expectation of a reward.  Service, particularly service for the kingdom of God, is not about being rewarded, but honoring Jesus Christ.  We don't serve to earn a reward.  We serve to honor Jesus.

In Malachi 3:13-15, the post-exilic Jewish people are once again complaining to the Lord, through the prophet Malachi.  They claim that serving God is a waste.  They serve God, and even mourn sin, but they get nothing in return.  Meanwhile, the wicked people of other foreign nations, prosper.  The insinuation is that it's better to be evil and prosper than to serve and get nothing for it.

Now, first off, those who serve God are rewarded.  Our rewards may not come in life, but instead may come in the life to come. 

However, we are not to serve in order to get a reward.  We are to serve as a way to point to Jesus Christ, who came to earth to serve us rather than be served.  He served without expectation.  We, as believers in Jesus Christ, must also serve without expectation.

In other words, we are to serve without getting something in return.  By doing so, we show that we are like Jesus.  That should afford us opportunities to tell others about Christ and ultimately expand the kingdom of God.

So will you serve?  And will you do so without expectation?

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Devotion to a false god

Image
Last week, at Disney World, I went to retrieve our stroller from the stroller parking section.  As I searched among the hundred or so strollers, I finally found mine and started to move it.  As I pulled, it snagged on a woman's garment.  Panicked, I looked up and saw it was a Muslim women in full Muslin dress.  Her body was completely covered.  Only a slit for her eyes was visible.  I was careful not to yank, and I tried to apologize as the hook of the handle caught part of her garment.  She didn't say a word and we both quietly went on our ways. As I walked away, I felt pity on her.  For one, it's Disney World in June in Florida.  I strode along in shorts and a very thin T-shirt.  Both were soaked in sweat.  I had already consumed two bottles of water and still felt weary.  She was dressed head to toe in heavy garments.  I can't imagine how hot she was pushing a stroller with two kids through a mass of people in hum...
Read more

Bearing Responsbility

Image
I remember when my daughter was first born. Amid the excitement and joy came an overwhelming feeling.  This baby, which I held in my hands, was now my responsibility.  When she got sick, needed feeding, required a diaper change, or had to be corrected and taught, those responsibilities fell to me as her father.  In a matter of a few minutes, I had been entrusted with a new life on planet earth. Looking back on that day six years ago, I was excited but scared.  Yet, that is nothing compared to the responsibility Joesph must have felt.  Joseph was a righteous man, according to scripture, and he knew one thing for certain - Jesus was not his biological son.  Thus, he planned to divorce Mary quietly and be rid of the whole matter. And before we vilify Joseph, know that he could have done much worse.  By law, Mary could have been stoned to death.  His divorce was a form of mercy.  She would live and he would be rid of the stigma of an unfait...
Read more

Following Jesus' Example

Jesus was not a convential man. Often, when Jesus taught, he challenged the status quo.  He also liked to use object lessons and parables to illustrate his points about faith and a relationship with God. One night after dinner, during the last week of his life before the resurrection, he finished eating, took off his outer garment, grabbed a towel and started to wash the disciples' feet. Stunned, Peter protested, but Jesus said it had to be done.  He had to allow Jesus, his rabbi, his teacher, his Lord, to become a servant and wash Peter's dirty, worn feet.  So he did.  Jesus washed all their feet that night.  Then he said:  You need to do this too. Too often in Christianity today, there is an attitude of moral superiority.  We love to build beautiful church buildings, boast of our attendance, brag about our programs and talk about the money we give.  At the same time, we turn our nose up to the alcoholics and drug addicts and homeless and...
Read more