Highly Favored

I Serve God by Serving Others

And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward. Matthew 10:42 (KJV)

If you give even a cup of cold water to one of the least of my followers, you will surely be rewarded. Matthew 10:42 (NLT)

Question to Consider:
Which of the six characteristics of real servants offers the greatest challenge to me?[availability, paying attention to needs, doing the best with what you already have, equal dedication in every task, faithfulness to ministry, and maintaining a low profile]
My greatest challenge lies in availability. I’ve been working full time and going to school for so many years that almost all of my energy has been devoted to staying on top of those things. I’m done with school now, but I’ll begin working full time at yet another job real soon. And it does bother me that the greatest chunk of my day will be given to that.

I must remember, though, that I can’t be anywhere that God hasn’t allowed me to be – I wouldn’t have even gotten the job if he hadn’t approved it – as a matter of fact, I hadn’t even applied for this particular job, but another. The woman saw my resume and thought I’d be suitable for something else. So I graciously accept the opportunity to earn a living – I just don’t want it to consume me. I want to have enough energy left over from my day to enjoy my husband and children, serve my church, and still have time to work on those projects that have been on the backburner for so long.

I pray that this job doesn’t interfere with my availability to serve . Maybe one day, I’ll have enough money coming in that I won’t have to work full time… Pray for me, please!

Important Quotes:
“God determines your greatness by how many people you serve, not how many people serve you. This is so contrary to the world’s idea of greatness that we have a hard time understanding it, much less practicing it.” (Warren, 257)

“While knowing your shape is important for serving God, having the heart of a servant is even more important. Remember, God shaped you for service, not for self-centeredness. Without a servant’s heart you will be tempted to misuse your shape for personal gain. You will also be tempted to use it as an excuse to exempt yourself from meeting some needs.” (Warren, 258)

“Your primary ministry should be in the area of your shape, but your secondary service is wherever you’re needed at the moment. Your shape reveals your ministry, but your servant’s heart will reveal your maturity.” (Warren, 258)

“If you only serve when it’s convenient for you, you’re not a real servant. Real servants do what’s needed, even when it’s inconvenient.” (Warren, 259)

“Servants see interruptions as divine appointments for ministry and are happy for the opportunity to practice serving.” (Warren, 259)

“One reason many people never serve is that they fear they are not good enough to serve. They have believed the lie that serving God is only for superstars. Some churches have fostered this myth by making “excellence” an idol, which makes people of average talent hesitant to get involved.” (Warren, 260)

“It doesn’t have to be perfect for God to use and bless it.” (Warren, 260)

“You will never arrive at the state in life where you’re too important to help with menial tasks. God will never exempt you from the mundane. It’s a vital part of your character curriculum.” (Warren, 260)

“By the way, faithful servants never retire. They serve faithfully as long as they’re alive. You can retire from your career, but you will never retire from serving God.” (Warren, 262)

“Servants do promote or call attention to themselves. Instead of acting to impress and dressing for success, they ‘put on the apron of humility, to serve one another.’ If recognized for their service, they humbly accept it but don’t allow notoriety to distract them from their work.” (Warren, 262)

“You may be serving in obscurity in some small place, feeling unknown and unappreciated. Listen: God put you where you are for a purpose!…You had better stay put until he chooses to move you. He will let you know if he wants you somewhere else.” (Warren, 263)

“Even the smallest service is noticed by God and will be rewarded.” (Warren, 264)

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