SERVING GOD BY SERVING OTHERS

In our fast-paced, self-focused world, it’s all too easy to become consumed with our own lives—our schedules, our struggles, our responsibilities. But as followers of Christ, we’re called to something deeper. We’re called to serve. 

Mark 10:45 (NLT) reminds us, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” If Jesus—our Savior—chose a life of service, how much more should we, as His disciples, live with the same heart? 

True service doesn’t require a platform or a perfect plan. Sometimes it’s the smallest hands that lead the way. 

Just a few weeks ago, my 7-year-old granddaughter taught me a powerful lesson in serving others. She went with our home church’s ministry outreach team to visit a local nursing home. While there, she noticed an elderly woman struggling to participate in a craft activity because she couldn’t see well enough to manage on her own. Without being asked, my granddaughter quietly sat beside her, gently helping her through the entire project—patiently, lovingly. Later that week, she asked, “Can we go back soon?” Her desire wasn’t to be recognized—it was to love and serve. 

James 1:27 (NIV) says, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress…” It’s not about just talking the talk—it’s about meeting people in their need, with compassion and humility. 

Serving God doesn’t always look like a grand mission trip or a spotlight moment. Sometimes, serving God looks like helping someone hold a paintbrush. Sometimes, it looks like a child showing the heart of Jesus in a quiet nursing home. 

Let us not overlook the beautiful calling of service. In serving others, we reflect the very character of Christ—and in doing so, we draw closer to the heart of God. 

Shelly Dority is a member of the Women’s Ministries Advisory Council and wife of Second Assistant General Overseer, T. Wayne Dority. She has served the church for over 40 years in various capacities, most recently as Women’s Ministries Director for the Church of God in Tennessee. Prior to her leadership responsibility in Tennessee, she served as the Director of Women’s Ministries in the Pacific Northwest, Texas and Ohio. With a passion to empower and equip women in all areas of ministry, Shelly has hosted successful conferences and events specifically designed to inspire and encourage women to pursue their Kingdom purpose.