This week’s Core Values:
Love God – Love Others
Serving People Is Serving God
Read Philippians 2:6-7
Christ Jesus, who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
This scripture passage challenges us to consider the difference between acts of service and an identity of servanthood. When I was in high school, my cross-country team made this phrase our theme for the year: “Running is a way of life, Running is who I am.” This phrase gave a bunch of searching 16-year-old girls a source of identity, perhaps even a source of calling. It motivated us to pursue excellence and to make sacrifices in order to succeed. For us, there was a difference between running and being a runner. Running was what we did; “runner” was how we defined ourselves.
When something defines you, it doesn’t just describe occasional actions; it describes a core part of who we are. In this Scripture passage, Paul reminds the Philippians that service was not something Jesus did; it was who Jesus was, and he invites us to be like-minded, to take on the nature and identity of a servant. Unfortunately, it is much easier to serve than it is to become servant-hearted. You can serve in your free time, but being servant-hearted demands that we humble ourselves and prioritize the needs of others all the time.
Reflection: What is the difference between serving and being a servant? In what ways is it easier to serve than to be a servant? How can you continue to develop an identity rooted in service of others like Jesus did?
