Not always glamorous but always God glorifying.
by Denise Kohlmeyer
Not all of us can be upfront pastors, worship leaders, or talented musicians — those who seemingly hold more exciting and engaging ministry positions. Their service is noticed and often rewarded with public recognition like compliments and even applause.
Quite frankly, most believers serve in unglamorous ministries. Some change dirty diapers, wash crusty dishes, or clean filthy toilets. Some set up tables and chairs for church events. Some pray or write encouraging notes from home. Some drive the elderly to doctors’ appointments or to the grocery store. Some are patient caretakers for an ailing relative. Some listen compassionately to a grieving friend over coffee.
For many, serving others is not always fun or welcomed or acknowledged publicly. But it is noticed. It is appreciated. It is rewarded and honored — by the One whose favor and good opinion truly matters.
God’s recognition
Take heart. Jesus himself led an unglamorous life in Judea as the earthly son of a carpenter, someone we would today call a blue-collar worker. In fact, Jesus grew up in an ordinary Nazarene family. He went to synagogue every Sabbath. He played with His half-siblings. He did chores around the house for His mother, Mary. He worked alongside
Joseph in his business.
Only when Jesus turned thirty did He begin to serve, but still in obscurity. In fact, the world at large never heard about Him until after His death when Paul took his missionary trips, and decades later when four of His followers thought to write His biography (ad 55-100; Jesus died in ad 33). They did not want His memory and miracles to be forgotten, and they wanted others to know about and believe in Jesus as their Savior and Lord.
Yet even before Jesus started serving, He was recognized and rewarded. “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” said His Father from heaven on the day of Jesus’ baptism (Matthew 3:17). God was pleased with Jesus simply because Jesus was His Son, not because He had done any ministry.
But when Jesus did begin serving, His focus was not on fame or fortune or on being an upfront man. Rather, He served quietly, to the lowliest in society and oftentimes in the lowliest manner. He rescued the life of an adulterous woman (John 8:10, 11). He invited the religious rejects to become His followers (Mark 1:19-21; Matthew 9:9-13). He healed ten leprous, unclean men (Luke 17:11-19). He washed the soiled feet of His disciples (John 13:1-17).
Our recognition from God is the same. He loves us simply as His redeemed children. He is pleased with us even before we’ve performed any active service on His behalf.
God’s perspective
Yet we know that God calls us to surrender our lives in service to Him and to others with our time, our tithes, and our talents (1 Peter 4:10). We do so out of gratitude to the One who did not spare His own Son’s life for our forgiveness and salvation. We see serving, therefore, as a way of honoring God, by offering up our bodies, minds, and souls in service to Him.
God’s view of service is counter-intuitive to the world’s. Where the world sees serving others as lowly, demeaning, and undesirable, God considers it our greatness (Matthew 23:11). Jesus even said as much to His glory-seeking disciples in Luke 22:24-27:
A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. And [Jesus] said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves.”
Who is considered the greatest? The one who serves, with Jesus being the quintessential specimen and example of servanthood.
Servant in Greek (doulos) translates as “slave, bondsman, man of servile condition.” Metaphorically it is “one who gives himself up to another’s will; those whose service is used by Christ in extending and advancing his cause among men.”
Simply put, all redeemed believers are in a servile condition, appointed by God to further His mission and message on earth — from the pastor in the pulpit to the custodian of the church building. Every believer, regardless of their appointment, is great in God’s eyes. All glorify God!
Faithfulness and perseverance
Just as Jesus is the quintessential servant, He also is the greatest demonstrator of faithful service. Even greater than the revered Moses, who was lauded as “faithful in all God’s house” (Hebrews 3:1, 2). We, therefore, look to Jesus as our role model in exercising our own service.
Faithfulness is a requirement of all God’s servants (1 Corinthians 4:2). He does not necessarily require success, nor is He dismayed by failure. He asks only that we be committed to our assigned ministries and leave the results to Him.
Faithfulness (pistis, “steadfastness, reliability”) is also an attribute we are required to grow in. It is a spiritual fruit listed in Galatians 5:22, 23. Our growth, or sanctification, is empowered by the Spirit. As with all spiritual fruit, faithfulness is a defining Christian characteristic. It is one of many attestations of a changed and spiritually productive life.
We can easily get discouraged when serving without receiving any earthly encouragement or recognition. Sometimes we feel like giving up in a ministry that operates in obscurity. We may think, What’s the point? Who even cares?
But these are the wrong questions to ask, because we know what the point is: to glorify God and do good to others. And who cares? God!
Faithfulness, therefore, becomes a matter of persevering (hupomoné, “to remain under, endure, steadfast”), despite our discouragement. We persevere in being faithful because we know that our service has a higher purpose and a lasting reward. True faithfulness perseveres regardless.
Contentment
Contentment is another characteristic of Christianity. It applies to our lives regarding our socioeconomic status, careers, marital status (single, married, divorced, widowed), and popularity (or lack of). It also applies to our ministries. God is good and gives good gifts to His children, including their areas of service. So we must accept with good grace where God has placed us.
Yes, we will struggle at times with contentment in serving. We may desire a more important or visible role. We may crave recognition. We may compare our ministry with another’s, thinking ours is inferior, lesser than.
The way to combat this is by being content where we are, but it doesn’t come naturally. Contentment is a learned attitude (Philippians 4:12). How, then, can we learn contentment?
• By valuing and celebrating our current ministry as God’s perfect appointment for us.
• By engaging our entire heart, mind, and soul in our ministry.
• By surrendering our will to God’s.
• By trusting God when (and if) He chooses to increase our ministry or give us another ministry appointment.
• By asking the Holy Spirit to satisfy our hearts with how He has gifted us.
• By repenting of any sinful attitudes that we may be harboring regarding serving — i.e., dissatisfaction, anxiety, jealousy, pride, inadequacy, resentment, selfish ambition, greed, self-aggrandizement, or comparison.
Living legacy
Still not convinced that your ministry matters? Consider Tychicus of Epaphras, mentioned in Ephesians 6:21.
Who? Exactly! This little-known person was described by the apostle Paul as a “faithful minister in the Lord.” What did Tychicus do? No one knows. Paul did not think it important to mention his specific services, only that he was faithful.
Yet Tychicus’ legacy stands as an example for all who serve in obscurity. God is grateful for people such as Tychicus and for you — quiet individuals who labor faithfully but inconspicuously. Your seemingly insignificant serving and sacrifice are accomplishing God’s will. And it brings Him untold glory! No service is too small for God. He sees it all and will reward you in the end. For on the day of your blessed Homecoming, you will hear these words from God, in full recognition of your service: “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master” (Matthew 25:23).
