Is your service actually selfishness?

During this time in my life, I’m in one of the most uncomfortable situations I could find myself in: I’m forced to have to give more attention to myself than I would like.

Usually that’s an easy thing for any of us, and I do my share of looking to my own needs. But in this transitional period I find myself in, I’m having to address personal needs more than I would like.

One of my favorite things in life is helping others grow, fully develop their potential, and achieve the fullest life they can. That is immensely rewarding to me. Because my current situation limits how much of that I can do right now, I have to be careful to not be selfish about wanting to be more able to serve others!

Even in serving the needs of others we can find seeds of selfishness if we don’t look closely at why we do what we do. Is it entirely for the sake of the other person, or is it for our own fulfillment we get from what we do? It can be possible to completely miss the people served in the process of getting that “servant fix.”

What moves me deeply is knowing the very reason for Jesus Christ’s physical existence was entirely for our best interests. Jesus stated it best when He said “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Talk about true selflessness! Jesus lived His earthly life for our benefit alone. And that is the example we should follow when serving others.

Who can forget Jesus’ literal example and teaching of selfless service when He washed the feet of His disciples: “1 Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end. 2 It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. 4 So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him” (John 13:1-5) then Jesus clarifies His example with instruction in John 13:12-17, “12 After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, ‘Do you understand what I was doing? 13 You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. 14 And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. 15 I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. 16 I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. 17 Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them’.”

If your opportunity to serve others was removed, would you miss it? Why? Do you serve people whose success won’t bring any kind of reward to you or your organization? Do you think “What’s in it for me?” when considering opportunities to serve?

When the underlying motive of our service is to achieve a personal objective or reward, then our service isn’t service at all. It’s selfishness.

Scotty