Service and Sacrifice
My office is surrounded by other offices and a common area, so when I need to concentrate, I shut my door. I usually put on my headphones to help block out distractions and noise. But even with these precautions, I know that the longer my door is closed, the better the chances that someone will eventually knock.
I wish my immediate response to someone needing me was cheerful, but usually, beneath the surface, I’m mildly irritated. A knock on the door typically means I will be pulled away from what I’m working on to focus on someone else’s needs.
Every interruption reminds me that service requires sacrifice. Sacrifice may involve giving up time, attention, effort, material resources, or all the above. Regardless of the situation, serving others almost always requires some level of sacrifice.
Then why answer the door? Why step away from what I’m doing to serve others?
The answer can be found in John 13:14–17:
Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. (NIV)
This scripture emphasizes an important point: we are called to follow Jesus’ example in our service. Jesus made this clear when He told his disciples, “For even the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Jesus set an example for us to follow in terms of service and sacrifice.
Serving others sacrificially enables people to experience the Savior we follow. This is encouraging for those who already know Him and enlightening for those who do not.
What would our world look like if everyone served sacrificially like Jesus?
No one would be overlooked. The lonely would feel loved. The outcast would be welcomed. Forgiveness, grace, and mercy would replace grudges, retaliation, and unforgiveness. People would give freely without expecting anything in return, and the needs of all would be met through the generosity of selfless hearts.
Authentic servant leadership would prioritize people over power or profit, and success would be about service, not status. There would be less suffering and more hope. Compassion would compel us to share in the pain of others, causing no one to suffer alone. Individuals would embody the gospel, allowing others to encounter Jesus through them.
Jesus is calling each of us to serve in this way in our communities and spaces. Jesus doesn't expect our perfection, but He does require our obedience. Service is love in action, and Jesus is calling each of us today to love one another. “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35).
Each of us has been created to serve one another through sacrificial love. I encourage and invite you to personally bring Heaven to Earth this week by showing selfless, sacrificial love to someone else.