Topic: Service
Bible Text: Colossians 3:23-25

Key Verse: Matthew 20:28
"Even as the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve..."

Someone once said that "service is the rent we pay for our existence on earth". It means that without a life of service to God and humanity our lives have no relevance. Service according to the English dictionary means: "to be useful to; to meet the needs of; to have a given purpose; to function for something or to do something". This topic applies in every facets of life as long as we interact and relate with the society; whether in the civil service, civil forces, armed forces, public service, business, or as an individual in a community.

We are called to be of service to our society and this entails the allocation of our time, attention and resources to help others. We should go beyond ourselves to secure, comfort and make others happy. We at one point or the other had been aided by the services of others. This is the expression of our humanity to the society. What good is anything if it does not manifest its purpose? The microphone, mobile phone, car, salt, an electric fan, television etc. all have their purposes. Life is well lived when it is engaged in service.

Services could be paid for, discounted or free of charge. However, every true service requires selflessness and putting others first whether the service is paid for, discounted or free. The value and satisfaction which people enjoy through your services or products must come first before profits making. It has to be excellent which means that quality and standards should be maintained. Any venture that is only concerned about profits without quality of service will not last. Our wholehearted acts to people is counted as part of our service to God. As men talk about our good services to them, God is glorified and praised. Through it our lights shine to others.

There are various ways through which we serve and they include: service through paid job; service through our family where every member of the family is cared for and the lifestyle of caring for others is inculcated in them; service through volunteering for your community and contributing to its development; through homes visitations to strengthen the weak; through hospital visitations to pray and give to the patients; through teaching or guiding a child in his academic lessons; through donating clothes and other material goods; by serving children in the church, school or organization; to mourn with those that mourn and giving them hope again; through sharing your skills and talents; through serving as a missionary; through working in a unit of your local church; using your creativity to help others etc.

There are examples of wrong attitudes to service and they include: engaging in long discussions or chatting when you should be attending to people waiting for you; collecting bribes even in a service that you are paid monthly salary to offer whether as a civil servant, clerk, exams and record officer, immigration officer etc; asking students for "tipping" before you process their certificate collection; asking pensioners for bribes before their papers will be moved to the next desks; employing your service to payback your enemies; unjust calibration of discharge pumps; the usage of cheap and inferior materials in construction works as a civil engineer; when a police officer extort people unlawfully; a lecturer demanding sex or money from students before they could pass examinations; giving your body to customers because you want to make sales or hit targets as an insurance or bank marketing agent; giving or demanding for immoral favour before an actress or actor will be given movie roles to act etc. Some of these attitudes in services had brought scandals and court cases to many, therefore high ethical and moral standards should be upheld in every service.

There are benefits attached to offering good services. They include: character building, people will refer and recommend you to other people, good name before God and man, official promotion, awards, material and financial increase, you become a good example to your children and coming generations etc. Do you make a difference by the quality of service you offer? How well do you satisfy or meet the needs of others? "... Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily as to the Lord, and not unto men" Colossians 3:23.

References: I Peter 4:10; Mark 10:45; Matthew 20:27,28.

Action point: I must give myself to the service of God and humanity.

Prayer point: Lord give me the heart for excellence in service in Jesus name!

©obinna Ajie 2019