“—by love serve one another.”–Galatians 5:13

It is worth our while to think of love’s true attitude to others. The spirit of serving is different altogether from the spirit in which men usually think of others. The world’s attitude is that of self interest. Men want to be served, not to serve. They look at other men, not with the desire to be helpful to them, to do them good, to give them pleasure-but rather with the wish to be served in some way by them, to have their own personal interests advanced through their association with them. Even friendship too often has this selfish basis-the gain there will be in it. But the love which Christ came to teach us, looks at others in an altogether different way. Instead of asking how they can be made profitable to us, it teaches us to ask in what way we may be helpful to them.

Jesus put it in a sentence when He said of Himself, “The Son of man came not to be ministered unto-but to minister.” A study of His life in this regard, will make His meaning plain. He never demanded attention. Conscious of His divine glory, He never exacted reverence. He used all His authority and power, not to humble men beneath Him, nor to compel them to help Him-but in serving them and doing them good. The picture of Jesus with the basin and the towel is one of the truest representations of His whole life. He lived to serve.   (By J. R. Miller, 1898)

Years ago, I am told, an old organist sat at his bench playing the instrument for the final time. He was a good organist and had served the church faithfully and well. Now a new organist was to come and the old organist wanted to step aside with dignity and grace. He struck the last chord, closed the instrument, locked it, and placed the key in his pocket. He then made his way to the rear of the church.

There, eagerness flashing in his eyes, the young organist was waiting for him. He asked for the key and, after a moment’s pause, he raced to the organ, opened it, and began to play. The old organist had played with precision the notes before him, but this new organist played with a depth of soul and feeling that brought tears even to the eyes of the retiring organist. Reports of his artistry spread by word of mouth, and soon people came from miles around to hear him strike the keys of the console.

This new organist was a master at his craft; to that, the ear and the soul would abidingly attest. He was, in fact, none other than Johann Sebastian Bach. As the old organist left the church he thought to himself: “Just suppose I had not given the master the key!”(copied)

Even so, dear friend you will never experience what God can do in your life until you give Him the key. What you can do cannot even be compared to the “music” the Master can make in your life. He is waiting for you to give Him the key!

“—I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.”-Philippians 4:11   A great Italian who was renowned for his cheerful endurance of trial, when asked how he had learned such patience replied: “First, I look within me, then without me, afterwards beneath me, and last of all, above me.” He looked within and saw such guilt and unworthiness that whatever blessings balanced his afflictions, they were more than he deserved. He looked without and saw those who had far many more problems than himself, and this made every complaint a piece of sore ingratitude to him. He looked beneath and saw the earth, into which his body would soon be lowered, and when all of life’s trials would be over once and for all. He looked above and saw by faith his home in Heaven, and this made the light affliction but for a moment, not worthy to be compared with the glory waiting to be revealed. The fourfold look silenced all murmuring, and produced calm submission to God’s will.

“And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.”–Luke 7:37-38   As we search for a remedy for our cold hearts and dry eyes we would do well to listen to the words of Thomas Brooks who said: “The more a man apprehends of the love of God, and of the love of Christ – the more that person will grieve and mourn that he has offended, provoked, and grieved such a Father, and such a Son.  The more clear and certain evidences a man has of the love and favor of God to his soul, the more that  man will grieve and mourn for sinning against such a God.  There is nothing which thaws and melts the heart, which softens and breaks the heart – like the warm beams of divine love — The more a man sees of the love of Christ, and the more a man tastes and enjoys of the love of Christ – the more that man will grieve and mourn for all the dishonors that he has done to Christ.”   Looking unto Jesus, considering the marvel of His great love for such worthless sinners, is the remedy for the cold morbid state in which we often find ourselves. Get in His word, focus on Him and you will be transformed. The more the better.

The Bible teaches us that we are to live to please others rather than ourselves (Romans 15:1-3). Sadly, most people do just the opposite. Here’s an example:

Near Lincoln, Kansas, stands a group of gravestones that boggles the imagination. A farmer named David, a self-made and determined man, managed to amass a considerable fortune, but had few friends and no relatives for whom he cared.

When his wife died, David erected an elaborate statue showing both her and himself sitting at the opposite ends of a loveseat. So pleased was he with this monument that he commissioned the sculptor to create another, this time showing him kneeling at her grave with a wreath in his hand. And that made such a fine impression upon him that he set out to erect still another tombstone depicting his wife kneeling at his future graveside with a wreath. He even put wings on her back as she now resided in another world. So, as time passed and one idea led to another, he eventually spent over a quarter of a million dollars on monuments to his wife and himself.

David had no interest in aiding his fellowmen or benefiting his nearby town. Nor did he become a blessing to the church, for he used all of his resources on shrines to self. He died at the age of 92, a resident of the poorhouse, and his cherished stones are slowly but surely sinking into the Kansas soil, victimized by vandalism and neglect, weathered by time.

Believe it or not, you are not the most important person in the world—stop living as you were!