SERVE or BECOME?

11 Jan SERVE or BECOME?

Read Ephesians 4:17-24
Thought for the Day: Faith means serving!

As Christians, we are to love and be there for those who struggle. If we say that we have faith in Jesus but are unwilling to serve, how real is our faith? Faith that only exists in the mind may make us feel good, but it falls short of Jesus’ message to love our neighbors. This is why Christians have always taken care of the poor, the sick, and the downtrodden.

BUT… sometimes we can misunderstand what it means to serve. Serving is the willingness to walk humbly with others. When we serve, Jesus gives us an example to follow. Therefore, we imitate Christ. During His earthly ministry, Jesus healed the sick, preached a different way, and never sinned. When we imitate Jesus, we walk with (SERVE) those who struggle or have no faith. This doesn’t mean we walk as (BECOME) them.

What’s the difference? Rather than seeing the Gospel message as just for some people, Paul knew that Jesus came for everyone. This brought him into conflict with many religious leaders. And, Paul is clear in Ephesians that as we serve those with different values, we also need to stay true to our values. He put it this way, “You must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds”.

Many of us have struggled with this at some point in our lives. It is important to have compassion and be willing to walk with others. But, we must not compromise our core values and walk as others. If we do, we miss the point. Let’s remember that faith calls us to serve, but not compromise who we are.

In Christ,
Pastors Stan and David