Minister's Desk 3rd March 2013

The call to follow Jesus is a call to serve others.  On the night of his betrayal Jesus, having washed his disciples said to them, “now that I your Lord and Teacher have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet” (John 13:14).  This is an invitation to serve, as Jesus served us.  It is an invitation to service that is humble and intimate and puts first the needs of the one served who is served. 

 

Two other statements of Jesus about service also stand out for me.  In Luke 9:23 Jesus says “whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”  A cross is an instrument of torture and death.  It is heavy and unpleasant.  And yet there is no mistake that Jesus calls us into this type of ministry.  It is a call that takes us beyond our comfort zone and costs us something.  However, Jesus also said “come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).  This is an invitation to rest and peace.

 

It could be that these verses, in different gospels and spoken at different times, contradict each other.  Are we called to service that pushes us or to service that is restful?  The answer I believe is yes.  Yes we are called to service in which we deny ourselves, that is a sacrifice and that recognises that the life we live belongs to God.  Yes, we are called to find peace in God and the service that we perform in his name.

 

Too often I think that Christ followers miss the joy and challenge that we are meant to experience through serving.  One helpful way of considering the service we give is to consider whether it is Doable Hard or Destructive Hard.

 

Something is Doable Hard if it is hard work, but we find the challenge of the hard work stimulating.  We believe passionately in what we are doing, we are gifted and talented to do it, it’s what God wants from us at that season in our life, we have control over what we’re doing, we have challenges before us that we want to achieve, we can see the results of our efforts, and we have support mechanisms around us. 

 

Something is Destructive Hard if it is hard to the point that it has a negative impact on us.  This could be because we’re not gifted or talented, we’re not supported, we’re not committed, we’re not passionate, it’s too easy for us, there’s no challenge. 

 

Serving in an area that is Doable Hard stretches our faith and deepens our discipleship because it makes us rely further on God’s Holy Spirit.  I hope and pray that you each will find an area of service that is Doable Hard.