When I think of a spirit of service, I believe its close friend is a spirit of humility.
Humility requires us to take a keen look at ourselves. As the wise Mother Teresa once said,
“If you are humble, nothing will touch you, neither praise nor disgrace, because you know what you are.”
We know what we are: Sinners in need of a Savior and saints who are called to serve. Our sinfulness and saintliness are the primary reasons we need humility.
On the sinful hand, we know that were it not for the grace of God we would be eternally lost. Period. On the saintly hand, we know there is no greater calling, or work, than to serve those for whom the kingdom of God is in fact, Good News — the poor.
Apostle Paul — that enigmatic and passionate servant of God — reminds us in Ephesians 4: 1-3 (NIV) that:
“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”
And Peter — the disciple formerly known as Simon — calls us to serve, not as people who must, but as people who are willing as God wants us to be. Not for money or praise, but because the reward of serving is in the privilege of serving (1 Peter 5:2-6).
Did you catch that?
In order to keep the spirit of service in our hearts, we must exude a courageous humble spirit. Let our attitudes always be teachable and moldable as we interact with others.
How can you exude humility in order to help those you work with today?