what does serve really mean

The topic last week in Bible Study was 'serve.' Now I'm a person that easily thinks of things as cliche or wow I've heard that a thousand times.. and then it goes over my head and I don't hear or even try comprehend any of it. When I'm reading something that I've read many times, or someone is telling a story I've heard many times, I tend to zone out, or think "what a churchy word!" and then zone out. It's not a good thing, I'm not proud of it, and I'm definitely working on it, but it happens. To me, "serve" is one of these words. So when our video series with Andy Stanley* said Serve, I wasn't leaping over the moon with anticipation.

Alright, what does serve mean?

1. Webster's Dictionary from 1828
- to bestow the labour of the mind and body in the employment of another
- to attend to, to be subservient to, to obey and worship (that's the spiritual one)

2. www.dictionary.com
- to wait on or attend to people
- to be of assistance

We are told many times in the Bible to serve God, that we cannot serve two masters, to serve God only, that we should be serving, not the ones being served. 

Luke 22:25-27
Jesus said, "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 great 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 at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. 



We can all agree we have heard this many times! But what does this mean for everyday, messy and chaotic life? 

It means Christians should all be waitresses and waiters in restaurants and serve food.

Kidddding. Ok here's where Andy Stanley* and his video series comes back in. He talks fast, but he's interesting to listen to with some solid, usable, biblical points. Here's what I think I learned. He used the passage Galations 5:13 +14 to start it off.

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: Love your neighbour as yourself.


If you love God, you love people.  So then my question becomes how can I love/serve the people around me?

Andy (first name basis here) said something that stuck in my brain.

"See a need - meet it. See something that needs to be done - do it."

Serving doesn't need to be a really churchy word, meaning only when it's Sunday and there's a potluck and I serve by washing the dishes after the meal. Or that we have a service opportunity and go sort clothes somewhere or serve food at a homeless shelter. These are ways to serve but serving can mean SO MUCH MORE than that structured, scheduled service times.. Serving is EVERYDAY. At home. On the street. Work, school, church, people you like, people you don't like (but you still love them!). 

Rather than putting off something that you, or someone else, can do later, do it now. You see a mess, why not clean it up (yes I'm mostly talking to myself here). A student is standing all alone at recess (the need being she is lonely), why not go chat with her a bit (I help her loneliness a little, and show some love!). I had a student who mentioned he didn't want to go home because it was boring, and he's someone who is.. distracted.. in class, and so we had a mini guitar lesson after school, which was definitely a way of showing love in HIS love language, and encouraging a spark of interest in music. There are probably a thousand little ways that we can show love and 'serve' the people around us, every day. Let's be creative beyond washing dishes and spread the love! Actually, washing dishes is a great way to serve. But let's do more

 

(insert cliche quote above) 

 Let's be people that make it beautiful.



*the Andy Stanley video series I'm referring to is Life Rules.