In this world “serving” is difficult enough, let alone SERVING WITH GRACE. We are not given to serving but to being served. If we are to be like Jesus, we need to make a 180-degree turnabout. Jesus explains very clearly in Matthew 20:28 what HE is going to do. He did not come to be served but to serve and give His life for many. In keeping with that fact, we are to strive to be more like Him. We need to take this more seriously.

Jesus says, “whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave” (Matt 20:26,27).

We are never more like Jesus than when we serve as He served. Jesus demonstrates this by taking the towel and washing His disciple’s feet.

On the last night before He was crucified, he arranged for His disciples to share a meal together. The culture of the day was to wash your guest’s feet after having walked on dusty roads. This was a practical act of service. Jesus got a towel, a basin of water, and proceeded to wash His disciple’s feet. He set the example for us by demonstrating the heart of a servant. He served with grace. His penetrating look around the room must have said, “Guys, don’t you get it?” I came not to be served but to serve. Don’t miss the blessing of serving. Serve one another with grace.

What does grace mean to us? The Greek word for grace is charis and it means the divine influence upon the heart. Grace rebukes self-serving pride. Christ paid the price for our sin and gave His life as a ransom for many; that’s grace. Grace is merciful and holds out salvation to all who will receive it. Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us, “For it is by grace that we are saved and not of ourselves, it is the gift of God”. Grace is the God of the universe stooping down to become a servant.

Jesus calls every Christian to a life of servanthood. If we aspire to be leaders, we must be servants first. That’s radical leadership.

One cold winter day, a poor man clothed in tattered rags was crouched in a corner on the old church steps. It was church time and people began pouring into the sanctuary for service and one by one walked by this man hardly turning their heads to acknowledge he was even there. Soon you could hear the sound of music and voices singing. “Rescue the perishing, care for the dying, snatch them in pity from sin and the grave. Weep o’er the erring one, lift up the fallen. Tell them of Jesus the mighty to save. Rescue the perishing, duty demands it. Strength for you labor the Lord will provide. Back to the narrow way patiently win them. Tell the poor wand’rer a Savior has died. Rescue the perishing; care for the dying. Jesus is merciful, Jesus will save.” As they were singing, the man in the tattered rags walked in and right down the isle. All heads turned as he went straight to the front and up to the pulpit. He took off his old hat and tattered coat dropping them to the floor. Some began to whisper, “Isn’t that our Pastor?” And much to their amazement it was their Pastor. The title of his sermon that morning was Random Acts of Kindness. This began a series on servanthood, serving with grace.

We must guard our hearts and minds so that our ambition in life is in accordance with God’s plan. Jesus is our example and the Source of all the grace we need.

In 1992, my husband Roger and I joined the Yarmouth Wesleyan Church. Our Pastor, John Symonds challenged us to pray that God would raise up 10 people from the congregation to enter the ministry. I was excited about that challenge and prayed for God to do so thinking He would call students from high school to pursue a degree in ministry from Bethany. Much to my surprise, God called 2 second-career people as part of the 10 – Larry Blaikie and myself.

Having said YES to God’s call, He proceeded to work several necessary things out in my life to enable me to go to Asbury Theological Seminary. He placed this song by Claire Cloninger and Don Moen on my heart - Lord I Offer My Life to You.

All that I am, all that I have, I lay them down before you O Lord. All my regrets and all my acclaim, the joy and the pain, I’m making them Yours. Lord I offer my life to you, everything I’ve been through. Use it for Your glory. Lord I offer my days to You, lifting my praise to you as a pleasing sacrifice. Lord I offer You my life.

I challenge you to offer your life fully to Jesus and ask Him to use it for His glory. Be blessed as you graciously serve someone today in Jesus name!