The Mark of Servitude, or Serving Others, is a natural response we make to our social contract with one another. We are, after all, a ‘society’ and we are social beings. We serve one another freely in order to achieve the highest and best results for all, right? Well, theory and reality often have little in common; and quite often neither one meets the standards set by God.

Somewhere along the line ‘what’s in it for me,’ ‘I did it my way,’ and ‘looking out for number one’ have become the hallmark of American society. Somehow people do manage to survive, and even thrive under these principles… but then, this is Satan’s world and if keeping people from salvation involves a few riches thrown around, well why not?

Naturally, our Lord had the right idea: “Jesus said to him, ‘Away from me, Satan! For it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’ ” As Christians our goal should be to live a life of service where we ‘do unto others as we would have them do unto us’ rather than ‘do unto to others before they have a chance to do unto us!’

The cynical examples are endless; the scriptural lessons are many and clear. I know that when we sow the seeds of service for others – and so many of you do so much – we open ourselves up to receiving back a hundred fold. Jesus gave us the best reason for serving, though:

"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’” Matthew 25:34-36

Next: The Mark of Spiritual Friendships