Day #35: Sunday, February 7th

Servants of Excellence

Scripture References: Col. 3:23, Gal. 6:3, Matt. 6:1, 1 Cor. 15:58

Devotional

If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done."  (Eccl 11:4)

Do Your Best With What You Have
As we continue to improve our serve every day remember that servants don’t procrastinate or wait for better circumstances.  They never say, “One of these days,” or “When the time is right.”  Do what you can, with what you have, wherever you are. 

Do Every Task with Equal Dedication 
Col. 3:23 says, “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men…”  Whether you feel specially called for a task or not, tackle it with all of your heart. Paul warned us, “If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.” (Gal 6:3 NLT). Jesus specialized in menial tasks that others tried to avoid such as washing feet, helping children, fixing breakfast, and serving lepers.  Nothing was beneath Him because He came to serve.  Your servant’s heart will always be revealed in little acts that others don’t think of doing.  

Demonstrate Faithfulness
Servants finish their tasks and don’t leave a job half undone, quitting when they get discouraged.  When you pass your daily tests of faithfulness, you will be in good company with people like Abraham, Moses, Samuel, David, Daniel, Timothy, and Paul - all of which were called faithful servants of God.  Although you may retire from your career, you will never retire from serving God.

Stay Low
Servants don’t promote or call attention to themselves.  Instead of acting to impress they put on the apron of humility, serving one another.  Jesus said, “When you do good deeds, don’t try to show off. If you do, you won’t get a reward from your Father in heaven.” (Matt 6:1 CEV). Paul labeled it as serving with “eye service.”  Real servants don’t serve for the approval or applause of others.  Instead, they live for an audience of One.  

You may find yourself serving in obscurity in some small place, feeling unknown and unappreciated.  God put you there for a purpose so stay put until He chooses to move you.  Don’t be surprised when God openly rewards some of His most obscure and unknown servants one day in heaven.  Knowing this, don’t be discouraged when your service is unnoticed or taken for granted.  Keep serving.  As Paul said, “Throw yourselves into the work of the Master, confident that nothing you do for him is a waste of time or effort.” (1 Cor 15:58 MSG).  In Matt. 10:42 Jesus said, “If, as my representatives, you give even a cup of cold water to a little child, you will surely be rewarded.”  Let’s serve with excellence and serve like Jesus.

Prayer

Lord, help me not to put off the opportunity to serve others.
When I do serve, I will do it with all my heart.
I know that when I serve others, I am really serving you.
I will finish the job.
I will do my job humbly.
I will not try to impress others, because you are the only one that matters.
In Jesus’ Name.