How to Glorify God by Being a Servant

Servitude – what does it mean to be a servant of God?

Would you like to honor God? Glorify God?

The use of the words “I believe or I have faith in God” are used loosely among Christians. We have become so used to hearing the words “I believe” that they hardly raise an eyebrow any more.

We have become immune to our own terminology. It’s no wonder the light that should be shining brightly from every Christian has grown dim in many. We say the words, but we have little or no conviction behind them.

“If you are going to live for the service of your fellowmen, you will certainly be pierced through with many sorrows, for you will meet with more base ingratitude from your fellowmen than you would from a dog. You will meet with unkindness and two-facedness, and if your motive is love for your fellowmen, you will be exhausted in the battle of life. But if the mainspring of your service is love for God, no ingratitude, no sin, no devil, no angel, can hinder you from serving your fellowmen, no matter how they treat you. You can love your neighbor as yourself, not from pity, but from the true centering of yourself in God.”  Oswald Chambers (1874–1917)

Ephesians 6: 5-8

^“5Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ; ⁶not with eye service, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, ⁷with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men, ⁸knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free.”

We are not bondservants. We are free. Free to choose where we work, where we live, who we spend time with and what we do with any free time such as hobbies or other activities.

This is America. It’s a great place to live (not perfect but still great).

We can do whatever we want.

• Go to the school of our choice
• Start a business
• Become a doctor, farmer, construction worker, nurse, or a hair dresser
• Anything your heart desires, whether it is good or evil, you can do it and or get it in America.

With so much freedom, and so many things to choose from, what a great testimony it would be to give honor to God if we could live “in sincerity of heart, as to Christ; ⁶not with eye service, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, ⁷with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men,”

“It is easy to turn our religious life into a cathedral for beautiful memories, but there are feet to be washed, hard flints to be walked over, people to be fed. Very few of us go there, but that is the way the Son of God went.” Oswald Chambers (1874–1917)

There is a work that needs to be done. Yes here in America!

There are hungry to be fed, poor to be clothed and widows to be comforted. There are elderly who need companionship and young who need leadership. There are the physically sick who need healing and spiritual sick that need encouragement. And we, those who say “I believe” have been called by God to care for them all.

“You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.”  Kahlil Gibran (1883–1931)

It’s a daunting task.

But we’re not in it alone.

Do you serve a little God or a big God?

A weak God or a mighty omnipotent God?

“It is ours to offer what we can; God’s to supply what we cannot.”  Saint Jerome (c. 374–c. 420)

“Trust God for great things; with your five loaves and two fishes, he will show you a way to feed thousands.”  Horace Bushnell (1802–1876)

Matthew 5

¹⁴“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. ¹⁶Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."

“I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And what I can do, I ought to do. And what I ought to do, by the Grace of God, I shall do.” Edward Everett Hale (1822–1909)

Do not be intimidated by the task set before you. If God has called you to do a certain work, give it your whole heart and sole, your everything, your absolute best.

It is only when we have reached the point of not being able to do it alone that God receives the glory for finishing the task.

“Christ has no hands but our hands to do his work today; He has no feet but our feet to lead men in his way;  He has no tongues but our tongues to tell men how he died;  He has no help but our help to bring them to his side.”  Annie Johnson Flint (1862–1932)

“I used to ask God to help me. Then I asked if I might help him. I ended up by asking him to do his work through me.”  James Hudson Taylor (1832–1905)

“In order to be of service to others we have to die to them; that is, we have to give up measuring our meaning and value with the yardstick of others. To die to our neighbors means to stop judging them, to stop evaluating them, and thus to become free to be compassionate. Compassion can never coexist with judgment because judgment creates the distance, the distinction, which prevents us from really being with the other.”  Henri J. M. Nouwen

Volunteer! Give of yourself freely in service to others. Expect nothing in return. Let the glory and honor go to God for everything you do. It won’t earn you a place in heaven but it will reflect the image of Christ.