What Serving God Must Be
By Pastor Chuck Swindoll
Over the years, a few folks have told me they were reluctant to look too deeply into serving Jesus Christ because of the risks that are involved.
Some were afraid God would expect them to become missionaries or preachers and do something really risky! If they said yes to God, they reasoned, they’d have to undertake some dirty, demanding tasks, and that kind of extreme servanthood would be more than they had bargained for.
Is that your attitude as a pastor? Is that what the biblical portrait of servanthood means?
Sometimes.
Some of us may very well be called to follow Him to the ends of the earth. Many have done that. He may ask others of us to serve in some bold and difficult act of personal sacrifice here at home or abroad.
But it’s not always that way. In fact, I would say it is rarely that way.
Most of the time, the Lord makes somewhat smaller demands on us . . . but they still require unselfishness.
The greater reality is that every act of service, however big or small it may be, demonstrates our love for Christ and our obedience to Him. That’s the meaning of faithful servanthood. Jesus said,
“Whoever gives one of these little ones just a cup of cold water to drink in the name of a disciple, truly I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.” (Matthew 10:42 NASB)
To cherish a little child, to care for an aging mother, to speak a gentle word to a hurting neighbor or a struggling friend, to carry an armload of groceries for that stranger down the street . . . these, too, are demonstrations of Christ’s love.
How valuable is genuine, selfless servanthood.
Copyright © 2025 by Insight for Living and Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights are reserved worldwide.
About the author
Pastor Chuck Swindoll
Pastor Charles R. Swindoll has devoted his life to the accurate, practical teaching and application of God’s Word. He is the founding pastor of Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco, Texas, but Chuck’s listening audience extends far beyond a local church body. As a leading program in Christian broadcasting since 1979, Insight for Living airs around the world. Chuck’s leadership as president and now chancellor emeritus at Dallas Theological Seminary has helped prepare and equip a new generation of men and women for ministry.
