Serving With Joy

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Matthew 13:44

A while back I read a devotional that shook me a bit, convicting me with a lesson I truly needed, and I’m thankful for it.

The story was about a woman who was not very happy to be helping out in her church’s nursery. Perhaps she had some notion of a more glamorous role to play in God’s kingdom. She didn’t realize how much she was complaining to her fellow-laborer in the nursery until her companion said to her – and I can’t imagine with what tone of voice she must have said this for the message to be as well-received as it was – “Maybe if you can’t serve joyfully, you shouldn’t serve at all.”

Ouch.

Naturally I want to serve the way I want to serve, to do the things I like and avoid doing things I don’t like. If I could toss together the ingredients of my service to God like a salad of activities I enjoy, I would write music and sing; be an actress; publish books of all sorts; and I would find a way to throw in some martial arts, somehow….I’m sure there’s got to be a tie-in there somewhere. I’m not super great at those things, but I like to sing and act and write and practice karate. God, why can’t I serve you in those ways?

Well, maybe sometimes I can, but those things could be more about pointing to myself than to Jesus. Furthermore, serving isn’t about doing what I want. It is, by definition, about doing what the recipient of the service needs. Those babies in that church nursery didn’t need inspirational Bible lectures. They needed to be fed, burped, soothed, and yes, to have their diapers changed.

Mothers and fathers can relate. Caring for young children is not glamorous. Neither is caring for the elderly if you work in a nursing home perhaps. Or serving food from behind a cafeteria counter. Or changing the oil on cars at a garage. Or…the list goes on and on of unglamorous tasks in this life. The fact is that most of us live fairly unglamorous lives. After all, how many famous people do you know? The vast majority of us will serve God in a more behind-the-scenes way.

So how do we stay joyful about it? Some philosophies promote the idea of developing a positive attitude by sheer force of will. For some folks, the idea that we could fulfill these mundane callings of ours with joy may seem just plain unrealistic. What should the Christian’s expectation be?

Jesus taught a one-sentence parable in Matthew 13:44 when he said, “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” For joy. For joy over the kingdom of heaven. This man was so joyful over finding the kingdom of heaven he was willing to do anything to obtain it. He was willing to sell everything he had. I’ll bet he would have been willing to change some diapers for it, if that’s what it took.

Do I love God’s kingdom like that? Am I so joyful about my salvation that I’m willing to serve God wherever and however I’m needed.. and without complaining?

Jesus washed the apostles’ feet as an example of humble service. Furthermore, if “Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith,” was willing to “[endure] the cross, despising the shame” all “for the joy that was set before Him” (Hebrews 12:2), then surely I can take care of children, or the elderly, or the sick with a joyful attitude. Surely I can clean a toilet, take out the trash, or wash someone’s dirty feet if that’s what’s needed.

Too many times I have served while complaining. After reading that devotional about not serving if you can’t serve with joy, I wrote “JOY” on a post-it note and put it where I now frequently see it. Because sometimes a little reminder that I am part of the kingdom of heaven is all it takes to turn service from martyrdom into JOY!

Heavenly Father, please take away from my heart the desire for my own glory. Please deepen my experience of the great joy that comes from seeking Your glory instead. And help me to humbly and joyfully serve in whatever ways I am needed. In Jesus’s name, Amen.

P.S. I went back and looked up the devotional after writing this article. It was written by Laura Bailey. It’s certainly worth a read, and you can find it here: https://proverbs31.org/read/devotions/full-post/2021/05/27/did-she-really-just-say-that-to-me