Serving With Humility
When Paul had called the elders of the church from the city of Ephesus he said to them, "Ye know, from the first day that I came into Asia, after what manner I have been with you at all seasons, serving the Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews" (Acts 20:18b-19). Notice that Paul declared his "manner" of serving the Lord was with "all humility of mind." Indeed, service to the Lord will not be rendered at all by those who possess no humility. Jesus said that one must deny self in order to follow Him (Matthew 16:24). To deny self is to humble to another. We, of course, are to humble in obedience to the Lord's revealed will.
One who serves the Lord with all humility of mind does not need to be begged continuously to attend the worship services of the church. He realizes that in order to be submissive to His Lord he must assemble himself with the church (Hebrews 10:25; Matthew 6:33).
One who serves the Lord with all humility of mind will not involve himself in the abuse of drugs, drinking of alcohol, dancing, fornication, adultery, and such like. He realizes that in order to be submissive to the Lord he must "love not the world, neither the things that are in the world..." (1 John 2:15).
One who serves the Lord with all humility of mind will use his abilities in the spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He realizes that in order to be submissive to the Lord he must "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15), and that as a servant of the Lord he must be "apt to teach" (2 Timothy 2:24). He knows that if he does not use his abilities in the kingdom of the Lord he will lose them (Matthew 25:28-30). He realizes his obligation to teach "publicly, and from house to house" (Acts 20:20).
One who serves the Lord with all humility of mind will not shun to "declare the whole counsel of God" (Acts 20:27), for he knows that to be submissive to the Lord he must "cease not to warn every one night and day with tears" (Acts 20:31). Therefore, he will keep back nothing that is profitable to those who will hear him (Acts 20:20).
One who serves the Lord with all humility of mind will seek to finish his course with joy, not counting his life dear to himself (Acts 20:24). He knows that in order to be submissive to the Lord he must love his enemies, do good to them that hate him, and pray for those who treat him despitefully (Matthew 5:44).
One who serves the Lord with all humility of mind will recognize the truth that "it is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35). He will, therefore, "labour, working with his hands the thing which is good that he may have to give to him that needeth" (Ephesians 4:28).
"And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among them that are sanctified" (Acts 20:32). Serve the Lord with humility.
From Our Archives, 1989
By: Jonnie Hutchison