The main thing is to serve?

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How false motives influence our service

Following Jesus encompasses our entire lives—not just attending church services, reading the Bible, or serving in the congregation. Our lives are worship in every aspect. Yet why do young people often shy away from making long-term commitments and responsibilities in ministry? And what exactly motivates young people to say "yes" to a task that will require ongoing time, effort, and sacrifice?

Decisions begin within.

The answer to both questions can be found in our "inner decision-making center"—in our heart. There, we find reasons that motivate us to serve, but also hidden motives that influence our decisions to serve.

The heart represents our true motives and intentions—what we truly think and feel. These are our longings and desires. It manifests itself in our decisions. Jesus says, “What comes out of the mouth comes from the heart” (Matthew 15:18). “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34).

It becomes clear: behind all decisions lie intentions. What we think, say, and do reveals to others what is going on in our hearts. Our hearts are the source.

How much are we prepared to invest?

To find this out, we must identify and examine our motives and intentions. For it is our intentions at heart that drive us to action and to the use of our resources such as time, physical effort, abilities, relationships, health, and finances.

Motives and intentions can vary greatly in nature and depth. If a motive is strong and means a great deal to us personally, it has a greater sphere of influence. We make greater efforts because our motive drives us to do so. However, if a motive points in a different direction, certain things quickly become uninteresting and undesirable to us.

For example: Steffen, a young brother, regularly attends the youth group to spend time with his friends. His sole motivation is the desire to spend time with his friends. How will Steffen react when he learns that his friends won't be coming to the youth group meeting that evening? He probably won't attend either. The youth group meeting doesn't fulfill his actual goal, which is to see his friends.

After a few months, the youth leader, Steffen, offers to join one of the community's cleaning teams. After brief consideration, Steffen again declines. His friends aren't on that cleaning team, so it's "uninteresting" to him. It's striking: if our motivation is too weak, we won't take action.

Recognizing hidden intentions

“Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will disclose the motives of the heart, and then each will receive his praise from God” (1 Corinthians 4:5). God judges our actions based on our inner intentions. When the Lord comes, these intentions will be revealed. He will see what is going on in our hearts and what truly motivates us to act and serve in a certain way.

Our inner intentions are therefore crucial for evaluation, and one day they will be revealed. Proverbs 21:2 says, “Every way a person takes is right in their own eyes, but the Lord tests the heart.” Indeed, it may often seem that our actions are justified in our own eyes. But the truth is that we can only fully judge this when we also examine our hearts. “For the Lord does not look at what man sees; man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7).

We can check ourselves by doing the following:

• We observe and evaluate our behavior in different situations.
• We constantly ask ourselves critical questions: Why do we want to perform this action? What do we hope to gain from it?
• We listen carefully to feedback from others and examine our own actions. Different perspectives can help us recognize things we might be overlooking and clarify why we act the way we do.

David prayed to God: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts” (Ps 139:23).

In the following, we will consider some dangerous intentions of a Christian.

1. To serve in order to be noticed

Right at the beginning of his ministry, Jesus addresses a dangerous impulse in his Sermon on the Mount: the inner desire to be seen by people. “Be careful not to practice giving to the needy in front of others to be seen by them” (Matthew 6:1).

There were people in those days who deliberately sought to attract an audience when giving alms. They intentionally displayed their prayers, fasting, and donations publicly to be noticed and appreciated. Jesus explains: “They do all their works to be seen by others” (Matthew 23:5-6).

The desire to be seen and admired by others is a great danger. People become dependent on the eyes of others by constantly seeking the approval of their onlookers. Paul uses the term "obedience to appearances" and says: "Not in obedience to appearances, to please people, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. Serve the Lord, not men, with a good will" (Ephesians 6:6-7).

A "showman" cannot be a servant of Christ because he has many other "masters." He is not free to do the Lord's will because he must serve the eyes of others: "Am I now trying to please people, or God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ" (Galatians 1:10). If someone is only concerned with being seen and noticed by others, all tasks that go unnoticed will seem boring to him.

2. Serving out of selfishness

We are in danger of our hearts, like those of Ananias and Sapphira, becoming imperceptibly filled with the desire to grow tall among our fellow believers, to shine, and to "be" something. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus proclaims the biblical truth of true greatness: "The greatest among you must be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted" (Matthew 23:11-12).

How quickly can position or responsibility in ministry lead us to feel important and important? We can even become, without realizing it, proud of serving and being humble. Yet we should not think more highly of ourselves than we ought to (cf. Romans 12:3). Paul emphasizes: “We did not seek honor from people, either from you or from others, even though as apostles of Christ we had the opportunity to present ourselves in a dignified manner” (1 Thessalonians 2:6).

This can end sadly, as described in the third letter of John: “I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who wants to be first among them, does not accept us” (3 John 1:9). This could indicate that someone in ministry prefers to act alone rather than collaborate with others. They don't want to be overlooked. Being second in a subordinate position is simply out of the question. People should recognize the results of their efforts.

May the Lord protect everyone from such selfish intentions.

3. Serving in exchange for something in return

Christian service is a lifestyle – we don't primarily expect anything in return or recognition (even if it may come from the Lord). However, if we begin to expect something back, our inner attitude can change over time and lead to the following perspective:

• I serve you and you bless me.
• I serve you and you save me.

I serve you, and in return you protect me from misfortune in life.

Our focus must not be diverted from the grace of God. If we allow ourselves to be drawn into a system of performance and merit, we might one day want to earn salvation. This contradicts the core of the Gospel, which teaches us that we are saved through faith in Jesus Christ and His grace, not through our own works. It is essential to be guided by the love and grace of Christ.

The problem lies in the wrong attitude of the heart toward God. Such a person may see God as their "business partner," with whom they enter into a kind of "business relationship." But we are God's children, called to do good. We rely on God's grace and justice. Our deeds follow us without our own effort. God is faithful and just; His reward will not be withheld.

The right attitude of heart is particularly evident in the following words: “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needy and clothe you?” (Matthew 25:37-38). “And the King will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me’” (Matthew 25:40).

4. To serve in order to realize oneself

No one wants to have lived a meaningless and empty life. We want to be useful, to look back on our lives and be able to say: "I have no regrets." This desire was placed within us by God.

For this reason, we are driven by a desire to fill this emptiness. We do good, volunteer, and donate. We work purposefully on ourselves, wanting to develop our personality and character and become good people. We are humble, serving God in the harvest field and making ourselves useful to others. Because we want to give our lives meaning and purpose.

One thing is clear: as Christians, we don't want to glorify ourselves. The danger, however, lies in our desire for self-realization. Even if there seems to be nothing wrong with this attitude at first glance, closer examination reveals that it is primarily self-centered.

Because we want to fill OUR emptiness. We want to be useful TO OURSELVES. We want to tell OURSELVES that we haven't lived a meaningless life. Despite strong motivation, the willingness to take on certain tasks will be lacking, as the focus is too much on ourselves.

For at its core, the intention is clear: the desire to make something worthwhile of one's own life first and foremost. Jesus speaks of losing oneself for His will, not for self-realization. "For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it" (Matthew 16:25). Furthermore, Jesus says: If the seed dies, it bears much fruit.

Let us express Christ in our lives and make Him a reality. In summary, if our motives and intentions are primarily focused on pursuing our own personal gain, this can severely limit our service to God. It restricts our willingness and our sphere of influence in serving God.

Let us now consider four motives and intentions that move us to serve.

Reward in service to God

Everything we do out of love for God will one day receive a reward. God does not forget our work and our efforts in love (cf. Heb 6:10). Jesus speaks about giving a cup of cold water and assures us: “Truly I tell you, he who gives this gift will not lose his reward” (Mt 10:42). In his first letter, Paul encourages the church in Corinth not to stand still, but to make progress in God’s work.

Everyone will receive their own reward according to their own work (cf. 1 Cor 3:8). We are to "grow" in it, invest in it, and expand our efforts, knowing that our work is not in vain (cf. 1 Cor 15:58).

Work in God's field is eternal and bears lasting fruit. In his letter to the Galatians, Paul also encourages believers to do good and not to give up, even when discouraged. If we remain patient and do not stop, we will eventually reap the fruits of our labor (cf. Gal 6:9).

As already mentioned, reward is not the primary focus or the greatest joy of a Christian serving the Lord. Rather, our focus is on Christ. Nevertheless, Jesus advises us to store up treasures in heaven (cf. Mt 6:20). For we are speaking of a lasting, eternal reward.

We love our Lord!

Love is the primary motivation for serving God. According to Paul, understanding the love of Christ is the highest form of knowledge (cf. Eph 3:19). Love is perhaps the strongest motive that can move us to action on earth. It goes very far, is almost unstoppable, endures for a long time, and renounces self-interest. Moved by love, Jesus even allowed himself to be crucified for you and me. He gave his life for his friends.

When a lawyer asked Jesus about the greatest commandment, He answered: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37). In short, this means loving God with every aspect of our being and giving Him our full attention, devotion, and loyalty.

God has already shown love. John explains in his letter: “ We love him because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19). More precisely: “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

True service cannot be considered separately from love. We miss the mark when we serve God but our hearts are not in it. If our service is not based on love, it is meaningless (cf. 1 Corinthians 13). Serving God solely out of a sense of duty or responsibility is unfulfilling. Rather, our service to God should be a natural and loving response to the love He first showed us. “For the love of Christ compels us” (2 Corinthians 5:14).

We want to become more like Christ.

Jesus says: “But I am among you as one who serves” (Luke 22:27). Our encounter with Christ fills us with wonder at His character of unconditional love and His compassion for humanity. Although He is the Son of God, Jesus chooses a life of humility. He serves God, He serves humanity.

Our gaze is fixed on Jesus. He is the way, the truth, and the life. We are to look to Him, “to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2). This is precisely what helps us not to grow weary and not to lose heart. Jesus washes the disciples’ feet (cf. John 13:15). The Bible says, “Let each one of you have this mind” (cf. Philippians 2:5-8).

The transformation into the nature of Christ is a very important process in our lives. Paul describes how we are predestined “to be conformed to the image of his Son” (Romans 8:29). God himself desires that we change and become more like Christ. He is working to complete this work in us one day. Paul is convinced “that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).

Jesus is our most precious example. He came not to be served, but to serve (cf. Mt 20:28). He did not seek popularity; in fact, he deliberately avoided it. When the people of his time wanted to make him king, he fled from them and went to a place to be alone with the Father (cf. Jn 6:15).

Jesus didn't need people's applause; He came to serve. And because He humbled Himself so, His Father exalted Him. Jesus is to take shape in us. Had Christ insisted on His rights, we would never have been redeemed. Instead, He became useful to all humanity. We serve because Christ served. We want to become more like Him.

It is for the community of God!

“Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, especially to those who belong to the household of the believers” (Galatians 6:10). The church of Christ is compared in the Bible to a body made up of different members. Paul explains: “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a member of it according to his part” (1 Corinthians 12:27).

The head is Christ. It directs and moves all the limbs to support the body. The individual body parts complement each other and care for one another. This means that the feet walk so that the hands can grasp something in a particular place. If the eyes could not see and transmit information, the hands could not grasp purposefully either. There is therefore a strong interdependence between the limbs. Every part of the body serves the benefit of the whole.

Here it becomes clear that serving the members of the church is of paramount importance. As a member of the body, it seems natural to serve the other members. It even seems a privilege and an honor to be of service to the members of the church. For Jesus loves the church; He suffered for it and gave His life. He builds it up and cares for it.

God's will for us is to love and respect one another as brothers and sisters and to serve one another. Each of us receives this impulse from Christ himself, the head of the body. "For God is not unjust in forgetting your work and effort in love, which you have shown for his name in ministering to the saints and still minister" (Hebrews 6:10).

Serving the saints is a great joy. We serve the body of which we ourselves are members. Jesus emphasizes the profound words: “And the King will answer them , ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me’” (Matthew 25:40).

We take care of ourselves

In summary, our inner intentions and motives make all the difference in our service. When intentions are pure and devotion clear, serving becomes a joy. And when work fulfills us and becomes our calling, status and salary become secondary. Jesus says, “If anyone would serve me, he must follow me; and where I am, there my servant will be also. And whoever serves me, my Father will honor him” (John 12:26). May our actions and our service always be an expression of how God loves us.

May our service bring new comfort, new hope, and peace to other people.

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it” (Prov 4:23).

Artur Riewe

Municipality of Seckach