The Gift of Service (17)
A gifted story: Scott knows how to plug in where needed. He just has
an affinity for that-- if there is a need, he's more than happy to
help fill it. And happy is the word for it, because he always has
a happy look on his face as he does this or that. Roof leaking? "Hey,
I'll go up there." Grass need mowing? "How about next weekend?" Chairs
in the wrong place? "Let me take care of that." Kids need
a chaperone? "I've got a car." It's always a quick response
to a need, and that's because Scott sees service as his ministry.
He is a believer that he can support the efforts of others and help
pull things off. Some people start things or talk about things--
he finishes things. It's the gift of service.
Biblical references:
Gal. 6:2 - Help carry one another’s burdens, and in this
way you will obey the law of Christ.
Romans 12:7 - …if it (our gift) is to serve, we should
serve, if it is to teach, we should teach…
1 Cor. 12:28 - In the church God has put all in place: in the first
place apostles, in the second place prophets, and in the third place
teachers; then those who perform miracles, followed by those who are
given the power to heal or to help others or to direct them or to speak
in strange tongues.
Definition and comment:
The gift of Service: the special ability that God gives to certain members
of the Body of Christ to identify the unmet needs involved in a task
related to God's work, and to make use of available resources to meet
those needs and help accomplish the desired goals. With this gift the
Spirit brings empowerment to willingly bear the burdens of other Christians
so that they can do their tasks more effectively. The person who has
this gift is able to work gladly behind the scenes in order that God’s
work is fulfilled. There is a desire to help others in their ministries
by aiding them in practical ways.
The gift of service is also described as the gift of helps in different
scriptural passages. Both service and helps are being combined for the
purposes of this study. The Greek word “Diakonia” refers
to “serving” and “Antilempsis” is translated
as “helping.” The verb form of the word means “to take
a burden upon oneself.” The gift manifests itself in persons who
place themselves at the disposal of others in order to give assistance
in a Christian undertaking. There are always many things that need tending
to in the church, and many of these things require no particular ability
other than a willingness to see and do the task at hand. People with
the gift of service or helps are ones who “get things done” and “see
the job through.”
It is important to recognize the great value of this gift. Because it
is largely employed “behind the scenes,” it may seem less
prestigious. However, in Christianity humility outranks prestige, and
people with the gift of service are blessed with that attribute and are
exceedingly valuable to the church as a result.
Affirm that you have this gift; questions to ask yourself:
-
Do you enjoy doing tasks that help others minister
effectively?
-
Do you sense when others need a helping hand and
are ready to give it?
-
Are you content to take orders rather than
to give them?
-
Would you prefer to let someone else have the “limelight” while
offering a supportive role?
-
Do you find it satisfying to find
practical ways to help others do their work?
-
Have others mentioned
that you seem to enjoy doing routine tasks and that you do them
well?
Areas for study and personal growth:
- Study the lessons in scripture that pertain to this gift,
especially as it is demonstrated in the lives of several
New Testament accounts:
Acts 6:1-7; 9:36-39; 20:34-35;Romans 16:1-2; 1 Cor.
16:15; 2 Timothy 1:16; Philemon 8-13.
- Because you have the gift of
service, you have the
power to relieve a great deal of stress in the lives
of others.
However, you will
have to become skilled at “plugging in.” Learn
where assistance from you can relieve burdens and make
an offer to help out. As a helper,
you must be somewhat expert at working well with a
variety of personalities - practice
the art of understanding before seeking to be understood,
and use that as your guide when giving assistance.
- Look for literature on giving support to others, and
build a personal library of resources that will
assist
you in this
ministry
(such as:
How to be a People Helper, by Gary Collins). Consider
attending a workshop on building positive relationships
or on caring
ministries.
- Insight into where and how you might volunteer
to assist can be gained through prayer. Place your gift
in God’s hands and ask
for his guidance as to where to exercise your serving
gift to help a fellow Christian,
to build up the church, or to glorify God. Seek to
be the hands of Christ in all you do.
General ways to use the gift of service:
-
Personally: be a good Samaritan; help a busy single
parent children or widow with home maintenance tasks
-
Within the
church: attend the nursery; help with furniture re-arrangement
or in keeping up the grounds; help with meal setup or cleanup
(see more specific church service opportunities in the Booklet
Channels for Using
the Gifts).
-
Within the wider community: help with Operation
Bootstrap or the church food pantry; assist with a Bible ministry.
For reflection:
There is probably no person better equipped to exemplify humbleness
than one who posses the spiritual gift of service or helps. All Christians
are called to serve and not to be served, to help the weak, and to support
one another, but the person with the gift of serving is able to do these
things at a supernatural level with great gladness of heart. This is
especially marked by the joyful attitude, which is displayed when the
service is rendered no matter how lowly the task. It is an example of
the rewards of humility - joy!
When Jesus washed the feet of the disciples, it was an action that was
hard for them to understand. Peter at first wasn’t going to let
Jesus do it. But Jesus had found a way to show the disciples the kind
of servanthood he expected of them - they were to help one another
with humility and love. Even today, many of us have a hard time grasping
this important lesson. Being a “humble servant” seems to
go against the American grain, yet when we see someone perform a humble
act of assistance, we instinctively know how truly wonderful it is and
desire to share in it. Your acts of humble assistance to others will
serve as a reminder to all the rest of us that this is really the Christian
way. It is an important witness indeed.
In all that you do using your gift, remember that your service to others
is really service to God. The joy you feel comes from him. As you perform
your many unseen tasks that enable ministry to thrive at Good Shepherd,
your spirit of love and cheerfulness will perhaps be the more visible
part. As your heart is gladdened in the rendering of the service, Christ’s
radiance will shine through in the works that are performed and in the
lives that are touched.
Our Christian experience is deeply enriched in so many ways by the people
who exercise the gift of service. It is a wonderful gift.
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