Serve

Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:19-25

Help others use their spiritual gifts.

 You serve others best when you encourage and help them use the abilities God has given them. The best way to care for someone covered in mud is not just to clean them up and send them on their way; the best way to care for others is to teach them how to clean themselves up and how to avoid mud in the future. Others don't have to be completely independent to be well trained, they have to be empowered and trained to use their gifts to perform actions in their own unique way. Christ didn’t simply serve you by giving you the gift of forgiveness,  He served you by giving you the Holy Spirit to empower you to use your gifts to the fullest extent. The Holy Spirit equips you best when you serve others by helping them to reach their fullest potential in serving God and others. 

Focus on how to serve, not how to rule. 

You will have more influence when you serve. Serving others draws them towards you as you demonstrate you are working to improve their life. Although power can grow out of the barrel of a gun and by force, productivity increases when discipleship is entered into freely instead of coerced. This is why God sent the Holy Spirit to write on the tablets of our heart. As God changes your heart, He makes you the best person you can be—not by serving you only—but by equipping you to serve and develop others. Attempting to rule brings division and hostility. Servant leadership bring unity in the pursuit of knowing and serving Christ. As you serve  God and others, you stir up love and good works by assembling to meet each other’s needs.

You are the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13).

For salt to preserve food, it has to be on the food. You were made to preserve the good that remains in the world, but to do that, you have to be placed on the good, which is relationships. For you to serve one another, you have to assemble together and determine to meet each other’s needs. Serving each other has to be done through relationships; the most valuable thing you can offer someone is a relationship. That relationship will give you the opportunity to serve others as well as teach others how to serve. The Holy Spirit drives your relationship with God and equips and enables you to serve Him. Once your relationship with God is strong, you are able to bring Him into your other relationships as well. As you bring your relationship with God into your acts of serving in your other relationships, you encourage them in building their relationship with God, which is the best way you can serve others.