The Transformational Power of Service [Part Three]

In serving for nothing in exchange Jesus showed Himself to be different from the world. Every transaction in life takes place in an exchange for something. A person works so that he can receive a payment, the stores provide a product in exchange for money, the company offers its service in exchange for money. In the mind of a logical person service has to be rendered in exchange for another service to give and not to receive is the mentality of the mentally balanced person or of the future homeless person of this community. Wealth and prosperity belongs to those who serve aggressively and receive a lot in exchange, while more service is offered more gain is received. It is for this reason that Jesus point of view of service makes no sense to the worldly person for he says “It is better to give than to receive.” So the question is why is it better for everything in our minds tells us it is worse to give and not receive. But Jesus in His perfect wisdom knows that when the person gives he is giving part of himself to whomever he is serving. Giving takes away the focus from the giver to the person receiving, it allows the Christian believer to die a little bit more when more is given and the goal is to eventually give it all so that the self might die and the divine will of dying to thyself so that Christ might live instead is fulfilled. Serving benefits the server more than the person being served, because Christ becomes more and more evident in the life of the person; identifying with Jesus in the denial of the self. In Philippians 2:8, we find what could probably be the most descriptive verse of the humanity of Jesus, Him being God Almighty emptied himself and became a man. There are a lot of theological arguments as to what extent the Divinity of God was present in Jesus or what “emptied Himself” really meant. One thing is sure in His human state Jesus did not appear to be God Almighty. Jesus denied himself, the same takes place in the life of the believer when he serves because he is not the focus because he is not the one being served, yet it is better to give than to receive because although he might not receive earthly wealth for his service he is certainly gaining treasures in Heaven. That consists no so much of a better reward but a reality of being more like Christ.