Why am I the only one doing this? Why aren’t those people helping me? Doesn’t anyone realize what I’m doing? Has everyone suddenly become unable to move?
These are the thoughts that commonly cross my mind as I serve at church. And I hope I’m not the only one. To be honest, I don’t really like serving. It always seems like I’m the only one helping (even though I’m definitely not).
I don’t pull off the short-notice weddings or funerals. I don’t help with children’s church. I don’t teach a Bible study or lead worship. And the list goes on and on.
There’s a ton that I don’t do in the church…so why does serving still frustrate me?
Maybe because, when I serve, all I notice is who’s not helping. I don’t focus on the 20 people who are serving hamburgers, throwing away dirty plates, and filling up lemonade pitchers. I focus on who’s sitting around, chatting, playing games, or doing “pointless” things as I pick up chairs and sweat.
I think I’m a little too much like Martha and not enough like Mary.
Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. And she had a sister called Mary, who was also seated at the Lord’s feet, and was listening to His word. But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do the serving by myself? Then tell her to help me.” But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; but only one thing is necessary; for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:38-42 NASB)
Martha was a little too focused on herself and had forgotten who her guest was. Or maybe she remembered too well who He was. Everything had to be prepared perfectly because Jesus was in her home.
But Mary understood that Jesus was more than a guest; He was the Messiah. His words, not the taste of the food or the cleanliness of the home, would last forever. Martha was too busy trying to make everything perfect.
Unfortunately, when I serve, I get caught up in me. Like, why do I have to do this? Why isn’t anyone helping me? Why can’t I go take a break? I tend to be very self-centered when I “serve.” But I need to become God-centered. After all, isn’t He the reason we serve?
We love, because He first loved us. (1 John 4:19 NASB)
We serve because He first served us, friends. We serve because there’s a hurting world out there that doesn’t know Jesus. We serve because there really are people in the church who serve more than us, and they’re weary. We serve because it’s our calling (Galatians 5:13).
I know it’s challenging to think of Jesus’ sacrifice when you’re the only one washing dishes after a church potluck or the last one in the room picking up trash after children’s church.
But Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross was greater than we can imagine. He served in a much harder way than we ever will.
There are so many people who don’t yet know Jesus, and we have the opportunity to serve them in love and show them what it means to follow Him.
Don’t grow weary, friends. You’ll reap your reward in due time (Galatians 6:9). And remember who served you first.
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