Humble Service in Love

 

Daily Reading: Galatians 5:1 – 13

"For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another."

Galatians 5:13

Liberty in Christ is a beautiful gift we have all because of God’s amazing grace. However, be warned! Liberty is not, nor ever should be a license to serve ourselves. Instead, as believers, we must use our freedom to serve others in Christ’s love. The Greek work translated occasion really helps to drive home this point. It is a military term to describe a base of operations from which military strikes and maneuvers are launched.  We must never allow our liberty in Christ to be the launching point for serving our flesh! Pride will launch us into serving our flesh.  However, true humility leads to loving service. It’s about recognizing that we are free from the chains of sin and empowered to serve rather than seeking personal gain.

Serving others in love requires us to lay aside our own desires and prioritize the will of God in serving the needs of those around us. It’s a way of living that reflects the love of Christ, who came not to be served, but to serve. Humility in service means we are willing to give of ourselves without expecting anything in return, trusting that God will provide all we need.

This is a challenging call in a world that often values self-promotion, but it is the path to true realization of the will of God in our day-to-day life.  That realization in turn will lead to joy in serving Him. As we serve others, we reflect the heart of Christ and bring glory to God. Are there opportunities in your life where you can serve others more selflessly? How can you use the freedom you have in Christ to serve others in love?