Yes, as Christians, we are called to serve. I love Galatians 2:1, where Paul went to serve with Barnabas, and took Titus with him, also. He didn’t just go alone. He took people with him!

In 2 Kings 10: 30-31, Jehu did what the Lord told him to, but he did not serve with his heart. Serve the Lord your God with all your heart, not out of obligation!

2 Kings 12:15 teaches us that sometimes it is better for ‘lay people’ — those not trained, but devoted to God — to do God’s work. God doesn’t call the qualified. He qualifies the called!

John 3:26 teaches us not to be jealous of the ministry of others. We are all in it to show God’s Love — not to show what ‘we’ can do. God has given us specific gifts in ministry and we need to use them, without getting ‘hung up’ on comparing ourselves to others.

In 1 Corinthians 1:17, we are taught that we should work as a team in serving.

1 Chronicles 16:37 encourages us to find ways to serve — even simple ways like even… cleaning, perhaps?

I read a beautiful story of an elderly lady who wanted to serve, but travel had become difficult for her and she had to spend her time at home. She was a pianist and knew that people enjoyed music, so she gave her phone number out for people to call her if they wanted to hear a hymn played. Over several months, she had played hymns for hundreds of people. You can serve where you are!

Would you like to help serve others? Of course! We serve every day, don’t we? We serve our families, we serve our employers, we serve those we don’t know, we serve through our local church, and we serve as God puts it in our spirit.

With our armor of God on and with our focus on the fruit of the Spirit — love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control — we serve those in this world who know the Lord and those in the world who are still in need of the Lord. What a privilege.

I remember a Christmas many years ago, when my family was ‘adopted’ by our church, so that we could experience an amazing holiday for our 1 and 3 year olds, even though we were going through a very difficult financial situation.

That Christmas, all our gifts were provided by our church family, just because they wanted to serve us. That year goes down as my best Christmas. It wasn’t about the presents, but it became about the Presence, shown through people becoming the hands and feet of Jesus.

That experience was humbling, but oh so very powerful in teaching me about grace and mercy and love that we can not only receive, but also give out.

Just as God serves us each day, we should serve others. We should open up our hands to receive what God has for us daily, and we should reach out with our hands open to serve those in our world daily.

Don’t just wait to be asked to serve. Those in need often do not ask for help. Be proactive. Step out of that comfort zone. Take someone with you, take that step forward, step up to serve, and serve with your heart. God will show you how and where and when.

Oh, one more thing: How may I serve you?

Ann Farabee, writer, teacher, and speaker, has taught in Kannapolis City Schools and Mooresville Schools. Contact her at annfarabee@gmail.com or visit  annfarabee.com