Day 8 of the 12 Days of Discipline: Service

The Twelve Days of Discipline: Day 8--Service

Yesterday's post discussed submission. That was on purpose because submission is a prerequisite for service.

A few years ago I travelled to Guatemala to build houses with some people from my church. They were good folks, the best. But everyone, myself included, struggled with the urge to correct the backward construction techniques of the people we were serving. Those poor Guatemalan's did everything wrong.

Our problem was that we were trying to practice the discipline of service without practicing submission. It's very difficult to do one without the other. Service requires that I empty myself of willfulness. This takes a while because there's a whole lot of it.

It is better for the one I serve if I give myself away without attached strings. I don't serve so that people will convert to Christianity. I don't serve so that they will know what a great guy I am, or so they will do for me in return. I serve because the other is a human being whom God loves. Period.

Nonetheless, the cool thing about this discipline is that very often it does come with a reward. For example, at the end of our Guatemala trip the families we helped threw a picnic for us by a river so pure it was named blue (the Rio Azul). They gave us gifts. Mine was a handbag, a hand made one. They spoke to us in Spanish and we couldn't understand a single thing they said but their tears translated for us. I've never felt more like a hero in my life. Even the fitful and imperfect practice of service will make you feel this way.

Better yet, you don't need to go to some other country to serve. Decide to practice this discipline and you'll start seeing opportunities all the time, everywhere.

Feel free to leave your own discipline of service story in the comments of this post.

Jim Jannotti is a writer and musician. He leads contemporary worship at First United Methodist Church in Pottstown, PA and has 13 years experience in both worship and youth ministry. He lives with his wife and two daughters in Pottstown.