Revision Week 3 - Participate in Church Regularly
Serving from the Heart: Finding Joy in Giving
Can you think back to a time in your life when things seemed good, right, and pure? For me, it was visiting my grandparents' place in Nunn, Colorado. I remember eagerly volunteering to help my grandpa with chores—the same chores I'd complain about at home. When my dad pointed this out, my response revealed something important: "I love grandpa."
That simple motivation—love—made all the difference. Today, as we explore serving as part of our church's mission, we need to examine our hearts and discover what truly motivates us to give our time, talents, and treasures to others.
Two Competing Desires Within Us
In Galatians 5:13-14, Paul reveals two opposing motivations that battle within us:
"You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh. Rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: Love your neighbor as yourself."
The freedom Paul mentions isn't about American liberty or personal rights. It's freedom from the shackles of sin and death—freedom that comes through Jesus Christ. But with this freedom comes a choice about how we'll use it.
The Desire to Indulge Self
Our first desire is to take care of ourselves—to "indulge the flesh." This self-focused mindset is constantly reinforced by our culture: "Look out for yourself. No one else will. You deserve happiness. Work for what you want."
This message bombards us daily, telling us that life is primarily about meeting our own needs and desires. It's the gospel of self-fulfillment.
The Desire to Love Others
The second desire is to love and serve others. This desire exists in all of us because we were made in the image of God, who is love. We all recognize intuitively that love is good—there's no debate about that. We not only need to receive love but also to give it.
What's fascinating is that Paul presents these desires as direct opposites. If you want to see the opposite of sin, look at people serving one another in love. The true opposite of love isn't hate—it's selfishness.
Beyond the Balancing Act
Many of us try to strike a balance: "I'll give myself a little, then give others a little." We think if we're giving to others about as much as we're giving to ourselves, that makes us good people.
But here's the good news that might not sound like good news at first: that's not good enough for God.
One day, we'll stand before God and account for how we used the time, talents, and treasures He gave us. Everything we have—our abilities, our resources, our very lives—are gifts from Him. We're merely stewards of what belongs to God.
And God will only be satisfied if we gave ourselves fully.
Why This Is Actually Good News
This sounds demanding, but it's actually liberating. The good news isn't found in us or our efforts—it's found in recognizing that we're not enough. When we reach the end of ourselves, we discover that life isn't about us.
That's what God has been trying to free us from through Jesus Christ—the exhausting burden of making life all about ourselves. When we make life about us, it leads to destruction. But when we look to Jesus, we can stand before God and say, "I know I didn't give enough, but I'm trusting in your Son."
Rivers of Living Water
In John 7:37-38, Jesus makes an extraordinary promise:
"On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood up and said in a loud voice, 'Anyone who is thirsty, come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.'"
Jesus declares Himself to be living water—as essential to life as water itself. But He doesn't stop there. He promises that those who believe in Him will become channels of this same living water to others.
This is why true followers of Jesus can't help but serve others. When we stop making life about ourselves, we experience the joy and peace that comes from serving in love. We're freed from the burden of self-preservation because we trust God as our provider.
Trusting Beyond Our Resources
Too often, we put our trust in our calendars, bank accounts, or abilities. We look at what we have and decide what we can spare. But God is seeking people who trust Him completely—people ready to give beyond what seems reasonable.
God is ready to pour out His unlimited resources on those who look to Him and say, "I trust you, whatever you want." But this requires taking steps of faith when we can't see the path ahead.
Serving as Part of Something Bigger
In 1 Corinthians 12:12-13, Paul reminds us that we're part of something bigger:
"Just as one body, though one has many parts, but many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit to form one body."
We're not called to serve alone. We're called to be part of the church—the body of believers working together to satisfy the world's thirst for living water. When we all play our part, we become the answer to the world's desperate need.
Finding Our Motivation
Philippians 2:1-4 gives us the key to serving with the right heart:
"Therefore, if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others."
This seems impossible—don't do anything from selfish ambition? Only look to others' interests? But Paul gives us the source of this motivation: our experience of Christ's love and comfort.
Have you had that moment where you've been overwhelmed by Jesus' grace? Where you've found comfort in His love? That's the place from which we should make our decisions about how to spend our time, talents, and treasures.
Life Application
The challenge before us is to stop making decisions based on our calendars or bank accounts. Instead, go to Jesus first and ask, "Where do you want me to give? How do you want me to serve?"
Sometimes He might say, "Enjoy this for yourself." Other times, He might put someone or something on your heart. When you trust Him, even when it's difficult, you'll discover the joy and peace that comes from serving others in love.
Here are some questions to reflect on this week:
What motivates my giving and serving? Is it obligation, guilt, or love?
Where am I putting my trust—in my resources or in God's provision?
What step of faith might God be asking me to take in serving others?
How can I move from a "little for me, little for others" mindset to one that values others above myself?
Remember, guilt and shame don't produce rivers of life. But recognizing God's goodness and making Jesus the center—not ourselves—brings freedom and peace in every area of life, including how we use our time, talents, and treasures.
