Every Part Matters: Serving with Love and Unity
My first serving role at church wasn’t exactly glamorous. I wasn’t preaching. I wasn’t leading worship. I wasn’t making big decisions. I was a door greeter.
Basically, I was a glorified doorstop.
I stood there holding the door, giving high fives, throwing out fist bumps, and saying, “Good morning!” to people walking into church. Nobody was going home saying, “Man, did you see the way that guy held that door today? Incredible. Truly gifted.” But something happened during that season that I didn’t expect.
I started learning people’s names. Then I started learning their stories. Someone would mention they had a job interview coming up, and the next Sunday I could ask, “Hey, how did that interview go?” A kid would tell me they had a softball game that afternoon, so the next time I saw them, I could ask how they played. When the school year started, I could ask students how their first week went.
Over time, I realized I wasn’t just holding a door, I was seeing people. And that changed the way I understood serving.
In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul makes a pretty bold statement: We can have incredible spiritual gifts, possess great faith, give generously, and even make huge sacrifices, but if we don’t have love, we’ve missed the whole point. Without love, serving just becomes noise.
That means effectiveness in God’s Kingdom looks different than we sometimes think. We tend to notice platforms, microphones, big moments, and visible impact. Jesus notices people.
Maybe that’s why He told His disciples, “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:34). Jesus said people would recognize His disciples by the way they loved each other.
When love becomes the reason we serve, ordinary things start to carry Kingdom weight. Holding a door becomes an opportunity to tell someone, “I’m glad you’re here.” Making coffee becomes hospitality. Remembering a name tells someone they matter. Sending a text reminds someone going through a hard week that they aren’t alone. Playing with a baby while their parents attend a group becomes discipleship and not just childcare. Setting up a chair helps create a place where someone might encounter Jesus.
None of those things will get you a standing ovation, and that’s the point. Kingdom impact isn’t measured by how many people noticed what you do. Sometimes the smallest acts of love carry the greatest weight.
Maybe you’ve wondered if what you bring really matters. Maybe you’ve watched other people serve and thought, I could never do that. The good news is, you don’t have to. The Body of Christ doesn’t need everyone doing the same thing. It needs each of us willing to bring what God has given us and use it to love the people around us.
So maybe it’s time to step toward serving others.
Not because the church needs to fill another volunteer slot. Not because serving earns you anything with God. Jesus has already loved you, saved you, and given you a place in His family. We don’t serve to become somebody. We serve because, in Christ, we already know whose we are.
Where could you step in? Where could your gifts, personality, experience, or even just your willingness make someone feel seen, known, and loved? You may be surprised what God can do with something that feels pretty ordinary.
I thought I was just holding a door. Turns out, God was teaching me how to love the people walking through it.
If this encouraged you, check out more articles from our Flatirons Spiritual Formation Team for practical tools, encouragement, and ways to grow in your faith and leadership. Click here.