(How Being Humble And Serving Others Is Pleasing To God)
As we go through this simple, yet very important lesson on the importance of humbling ourselves before God, and man,
we will take a look at many scriptures that give us instruction on when, and how to serve.
Paul uses the term slave in many instances because that is exactly how he perceived that we should behave. He often
used the term Love Slave because when we are devoted to Jesus Christ, we serve out of love for Him, not because we
are forced to. Many of the new Bible translations have taken out the word slave and substituted the word servant in its
place. We are indeed slaves to Jesus Christ. We were bought and paid for, and we no longer are our own. We are His.
Make no mistake about it. When our hearts are right with Him, and He calls, we come. We willingly do His bidding, and
we follow His every command. When our hearts are not right with him, we fight the call. If we were slaves in the sense
of being a slave to another human, we would be severely beaten for our refusal to obey. But… we are slaves of Jesus
Christ. Our stubbornness is met with Love and Grace instead of whip and chain.
In order to truly serve, and to feel as Paul felt about this, we have many obstacles to overcome. The largest obstacle
we face is the “Me First, Me Most, Me Best” attitude that we hold on to. We want to do what is best for US, not
someone else. When we serve others out of love for Jesus Christ, there is great satisfaction. There is also great
reward waiting for us.
Phil 2:2-4
3Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better
than himself. 4Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others
John 12:25-26
25He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26If anyone
serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will
honor.
Rom 14:19
19Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another
James 1:9-11
9Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, 10but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will
pass away. 11For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its
beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits.
Gal 6:7-10
7Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. 8For he who sows to his
flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. 9And let us
not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. 10Therefore, as we have
opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.
Rom 15:1-2
1We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2Let each of
us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification.
There are two purposes of servant hood.
1. So that we may learn how to humble ourselves before man. We already humble ourselves to God, but if we truly
learn to humble ourselves before man, how much MORE will we be able to humble ourselves before the Living God?
God requires you to humble yourself before Him. The more you are able to humble yourself, and the lower that you are
able to humble yourself before God, the more pleasing you become to God.
2. It helps us to eliminate, or at least helps diminish the selfishness that dwells in us. Man has an air of arrogance
about himself that must be eliminated before we are truly able to present ourselves before God.
Phil 2:5-8
5Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to
be equal with God, 7but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness
of men. 8And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death,
even the death of the cross.
If Jesus Christ humbled Himself before man, then it is pretty clear that He thought humbleness was very important to us
as Christians. When Jesus washed the feet of the Apostles, He did this to show them the greatness, and importance of
humbleness, and humility. We will be richly rewarded for our servitude to others, and not for our selfishness.
John 13:12-17
12So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I
have done to you? 13You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. 14If I then, your Lord and
Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15For I have given you an example,
that you should do as I have done to you. 16Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master;
nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. 17If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
When we serve others, there is two ways of doing it. One is selfish, and the other one is selfless.
1. SERVING – When we choose to serve others, we are doing just that –choosing. We wind up doing it our way, and
in our time. We choose whom we serve, and what type of service we are willing to do. When we choose to serve,
we are still in charge. We often worry about someone taking advantage of us, and stepping on us. We belong to
ourselves, and many times we shout from the mountain tops about our service to others. We want the world to know
that we helped someone. We are even more apt to help the widows, orphans, poor, and sick so that we can REALLY
shout from the roof tops and let everyone think even more highly of us.
2. BEING A SERVANT – When we become a servant, we give up the right to be in charge. We give up the right to
decide when, and how we will serve. We understand that we now belong to Him. We were bought and paid for, and we
will do as He wishes, and commands. We belong to Jesus. He must have the right to use me without consulting me first.
If we allow ourselves to do this, then we will willingly do the lowliest of services, and will willingly humble ourselves before
our fellow man. We serve others to edify and help them, not ourselves. BUT… we reap a great reward for doing so, if it
truly comes from the heart. Jesus said to do these types of things “behind closed doors”, and the Father would reward
us openly. When we are able to serve others, and let our service go unnoticed by our fellow man, we gain strength in
our daily fight to defeat selfishness.
1 Cor 6:19-20
19Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you
are not your own? 20For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are
God’s.
Rom 15:1-2
1We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2Let each of us
please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification
Self-Righteous service picks and chooses whom to serve. Sometimes the lowly and defenseless are served because it
will show a greater level of humbleness (to other men anyway). True service, as the Bible dictates, is indiscriminate. It
does not choose whom to serve, and where to serve. It has heard the command of Jesus Himself.
Self-will always stabs Jesus right through the heart. It may not hurt anyone else, but it does wound Jesus’ Spirit. Every
time we stand on our rights and scream that this is what we intend to do, instead of what He has called us to do, His
Spirit grieves.
Nothing is better for strengthening our fight against the flesh than servitude to others. Man (the flesh) screams loudly
for recognition and honor. We sometimes will come up with subtle (or even bold) ways of gaining religiously acceptable
means to call attention to the “Good Works” we have done for others. If we fight this, and refuse to give in to the will of
the flesh, we crucify it. Each time we crucify the flesh, we crucify pride, arrogance, and selfishness along with it. It is a
tough battle, but we have Jesus on our side!
More Scriptures to study…….
Mat 20:25-28
25But Jesus called them to Himself and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who
are great exercise authority over them. 26Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among
you, let him be your servant. 27And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave—28just as the Son
of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
Eph 5:20-21
20giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21submitting to one
another in the fear of God.
Rom 6:20-23
20For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21What fruit did you have then in the
things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22But now having been set free from sin,
and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. 23For the wages of sin
is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
1 Peter 2:13-16
13Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, 14or
to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good.
15For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men—16as free, yet
not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. 17Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God.
Honor the king.
Gal 5:13-15
13For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through
love serve one another. 14For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as
yourself.” 15But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!
Rom 14:8-10
8For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the
Lord’s. 9For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living.
10But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand
before the judgment seat of Christ.
Mark 9:35
35And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and
servant of all.”
Rom 12:9-16
9Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10Be kindly affectionate to one another with
brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;
12rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13distributing to the needs of the saints,
given to hospitality. 14Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15Rejoice with those who rejoice, and
weep with those who weep. 16Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but
associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.
James 1:27
27Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to
keep oneself unspotted from the world.
Luke 22:25-27
25And He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over
them are called ‘benefactors.’ 26But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as
the younger, and he who governs as he who serves. 27For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who
serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves.
John 15:20
20Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will
also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.
1 Peter 4:8-10
8And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” 9Be hospitable to one
another without grumbling. 10As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the
manifold grace of God.
1 Peter 4:16
16Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.
Gal 6:2-5
2Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he
is nothing, he deceives himself. 4But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in
himself alone, and not in another. 5For each one shall bear his own load.
1 Peter 5:5-6
5Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and
be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
6Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,