A Committed Servant of God Is Dead
The words, committed servant of God, make some people flinch. To them, this trusting soul is a bootlicker, doormat, and yes-person. To them, a committed servant of God stumps their intellects. How does someone view another person’s needs as more important than their own?
Even worse, how could someone say, “I am a servant of the Lord?” Surely, there must be imprints on their face, back, and arms because people walked all over them. Not exactly. God’s servants willingly serve others and do so with a sound mind and a willing heart.
Case in point. At drive-throughs in our community, mobile diners pay for their meal and pick up the tab for the car behind them. My husband and I have been recipients several times. Once, my husband asked me why. I responded, “They love people. I’m guessing they’re Christians.”
That brings me to this truth about servants.
A Committed Servant of God Is Dead
What exactly does that mean? A servant of God is dead to self. Worldly things don’t interest them. This scripture explains why.
Colossians 3:1-3
Therefore if you have been raised with Christ [to a new life, sharing in His resurrection from the dead], keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind and keep focused habitually on the things above [the heavenly things], not on things that are on the earth [which have only temporal value]. For you died [to this world], and your [new, real] life is hidden with Christ in God.
To be exact, Christians are citizens of heaven and bondservants to Christ (serving Him with a sincere heart). That sounds awful to someone who doesn’t know Jesus. They imagine a Christian bound in chains serving a heartless master.
The Heart Of A Committed Servant of God
What is a servant of God?
Servants are dutiful stewards of God because they consider it a privilege to work for Jesus. Furthermore, they aren’t ashamed of the Gospel and cooperate with the Holy Spirit to become living examples of the word of truth. Here’s how a Christian does that.
Ongoing Training: Perfect servants don’t exist on earth. We miss it. That doesn’t stop us from training for godliness as described in I Timothy 4. By becoming spiritually fit, we’re more prepared for this life and the life to come.
Humility: Servants don’t mind completing the lowliest of jobs if it means setting an example for others and pointing them to Jesus. Changing a tire, cleaning the church toilet, or giving up free time to mow someone’s yard are examples.
Phillipians 2:5-8
Let this same attitude and purpose and [humble] mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus: [Let Him be your example in humility:Who, although being essentially one with God and in the form of God possessing the fullness of the attributes which make God, God, did not think this equality with God was a thing to be eagerly grasped or retained. But stripped Himself [of all privileges and rightful dignity], so as to assume the guise of a servant (slave), in that He became like men and was born a human being. And after He had appeared in human form, He abased and humbled Himself [still further] and carried His obedience to the extreme of death, even the death of the cross!
Obedience: Nothing excites a committed servant of God more than to please their master. A Christian no longer is a slave to sin but desires to do God’s will. That’s especially true when a believer dies to self. They follow Christ whether they trudge through dark valleys of evil or experience joyous, mountaintop experiences.
Devotion: When you’re devoted to God, your love for Him is strong. No one could beat it out of you. You’re bound to Him for eternity and His Spirit is an all-consuming fire. A believer has the heart of a servant and is loyal to Christ above all others.
How To Be A Servant of God
Be willing to just show up like you would when reporting for duty on a job. In order to serve, you must be available. That requires a conscious decision that no matter what, God can count on you. A believer who serves God makes it a habit to ask Him every day what He wants them to do. Does He want you to send someone a birthday card, buy a co-worker a book, or give flowers to a shut-in?
Moreover, you can’t be a committed servant of God with a divided heart because you’ll serve half-heartedly. Perhaps God keeps reminding you to do what He said last. But you’d rather work on your golf game or decorate your home.
There’s nothing wrong with those activities unless they keep you away from God. God’s not a cruel taskmaster. He knows what you need to succeed in life. Most of us sidestep the small details in favor of taking giant steps away from God to achieve something more glamorous on our own. We may never know the opportunities we missed when going rogue and taking the wrong path away from God.
Questions A Faithful Servant of God Asks
- Do I know more than God?
- In what ways do I hold onto self-sufficiency because abiding in Christ is too hard?
- Do I think more about what Jesus can do for me than how I can serve Him?
- How do I see myself as a servant and do I resent being one?
- Am I willing to have God and others teach me about servanthood?
Then, listen for the Spirit of God to gently tell you how to get back on track with Him. Believe me, it’s easy to roam to places outside of God’s will. Our flesh is more than willing to hijack our faith. So, ease up on yourself if you don’t quite have this servant thing mastered. None of us do.
As long as your heart always belongs to Jesus, you resemble Samuel when He responded to God. “Speak Lord for your servant is listening” (I Samuel 3:10)—i.e., dead to the world but living for God. You can easily say, “I am a servant of God.”