Service to others = be ready to lose

Photo by Gary Butterfield on Unsplash

 What is your biggest obstacle to humble, compassionate, generous service?

The answer would be fear; fear to be taken advantage of; fear of pain inflicted by the very people I'd like to serve; fear that I wouldn't be able to take care of my family.

Fear that I wouldn't be able to stand for what is fair and just.

Fear that I would lose the argument, my cultural preferences, my rights.

And, yet, losing is at the very core of serving others if our service aims to be humble, compassionate, and generous.

From my Redeemer, in Matthew 16:

24 Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. 26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

The kicker? God the Son is saying this in the context of discipleship.

Am I ready to let go of everything this world has to offer so I can be free to serve? Am I aware of my identity and inheritance - secured by His Beauty - to the point that I wouldn't mind losing everything else in humble, compassionate, and generous service to others?

With His help, I can see how a positive response to those questions is gaining terrain in my heart.

What about you? What is your biggest obstacle to this kind of service?

-AV