What Does It Mean to Serve?

Recently, several of the small group members volunteered to help out at the Homeless Shelter in downtown DC. It turned out to be an excellent opportunity and a great way to glorify Christ!

What did we do? Nothing that anyone else could not have done, we painted! Sounds pretty obscure, one might even ask themselves how is painting serving the Lord?

Romans 10:14 says:

How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?

This is more then just talking about preachers and missionaries. There is a chain of events described in this passage and I think it becomes clear when you study this passage backwards. How can a preacher preach if he has no one to preach to? How can the membership hear the word if no one pays the power bill or sets up the facility? How can the facility be set up if no one volunteers to do it?

We were serving Christ by doing the things that needed to be done, even if no one will ever notice that it was done. The walls needed painting, before the new wing for the homeless could be opened. The attention will be paid to the ones helping the homeless at the facility once the new wing is opened, and that is truly a Godly service and should be praised. But without the work of those behind the scenes, the plan of reaching the homeless would have never materialized.

Here is where I think many of us fail to see the benefits of serving God in the little ways. Serving God is not always about “scoring the touchdown”. It is, many times, about doing the things that get no attention and no praise from others. But without those things getting done, how will the preacher do his job?

We are not all called to be missionaries or preachers, so for those of us who have not been called into that purpose in life, take note that God does see the service you are providing, even when others do not.

by Eric Bell, head of the Parking Team @ MBC Loudoun