Servanthood

I was reading 1 Corinthians today where it states that “we are God’s servants, working together; you are God’s field, God’s building.” (1 Corinthians 3:9)  We are called to servanthood.  James Bryan Smith wrote that “God promises that those who love and serve, and are honest and faithful, will know a kind of joy and peace that those who are evil never will.”

When in my ’20’s, I had the distinct pleasure of having many mentors and friends that were religious.  One was a Jewish theologian, and the others were Catholic monks.  These individuals increased my understanding of God’s unconditional love and the call to servanthood and service.

As Christians, we readily recognize this unconditional love through Christ’s ultimate sacrifice for all of us.  God calls us to serve our neighbors and sometimes strangers we don’t even know.  Personally, I serve through volunteering and being an active participant in church.  I also am a member of a service organization, and enjoy an active prayer life.  Reaching out to others is vital for everyone, as we follow Jesus’ example.

One important concept I learned from my mentors was of Christian mysticism.  I learned that mysticism is not saved for the few – it’s not some weird concept reserved for only those living in monasteries or those that are theological thinkers.  Rather, mysticism is in all of us through a feeling of the presence of God.

We’ve all felt God tugging at us, calling us to respond.  Perhaps we’ve answered his call through doing good for the community.  Many people feel compelled to respond to God’s call through their work life, through a life of volunteering, through membership in civic and service organizations, or through a life of prayer.  As a child of God, we are called to become better servants to the Lord.  The churches we attend are servant churches, reaching out not only to the devoted.  We all need to glorify God through our lives.

Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.  Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.”  As you travel through your week, remember to listen for God’s call – he will reach out, and see where you can be better servants for Him.