Student Blog Written By: Gracie Hurst, Fellows
Even before I was a believer, I had always loved serving people. I loved the act of physically doing something to aid another person in their needs. When Christ sought me out, my view of almost every way I saw my life changed, but most especially my view of service.
At the beginning of Fellows, I was placed on the Lunch “serve team”, and I loved it! No matter what day I was having, serving other people genuinely makes you step outside of yourself and obey Philippians 2:4. Serving other people, the simple things of food or pushing in chairs so others wouldn’t have to, showed me how serving others in mundane things can display the love and glory of Christ.
I realized that while serving other people was a good thing, it began to be something I took advantage of.
I used it as a distraction to cover up the areas where I felt lost or burdened. I began to use it as a way to draw away from God and not surrender that which was burdening me. I physically saw in my own life what it meant to serve the created thing rather than the Creator. I did not fully realize this until we were in South Africa. Through my leaders constantly reminding us every morning who we were truly there to serve, I began to remember what is at the heart of serving others. Jesus. Jesus set the perfect example of what it means and looks like to be a humble servant of the Lord. He did not serve people to draw them away from God, but instead to draw them closer to Him. When He served, He served out of seeing the other person as the Imago Dei. I began to understand that the heart of service is to serve the Lord.
Over this year, I have been brought back to the true reason I love serving others, which is that my heart delights in serving the Lord. When I begin serving for my own reasons or to bring glory to myself, it only draws me away from God and the ability to truly love others as He does. Christ shows His love for us in dying in our place and serving as the offering for our sins. If I am to truly be a follower of Christ Jesus, I must understand what it means to serve for the glory and honor of the Lord. Serving in the mundane is serving for the Kingdom of God.
We believe that when a student is rooted in truth, they become a catalyst for the Kingdom wherever they go. Help us continue to forge disciples who possess the resolve to stay faithful and the tools to make disciples. Your investment in the Multiply Fund makes this transformation possible.