by Stephany Mendia

“If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.” (1Corinth 13:3)

I always used to think that if you did something nice for someone that’s it, you did a kind act and it was over. But when I set a goal for myself to memorize Corinthians 13 I realized everything the Bible said love was, was everything that you do while you are helping someone.

True service that reflects God is all about love. If we love God then we choose to live for Him and give Him our all- this is the same dedication He asks that you have in your service for Him!

When Jesus was on this earth, He was conscious that He was representing His Father, so He did everything in an attitude of love for others. Jesus laid down His life for us. Everything He did on this earth was for us- not because He needed the blind man to see or the lame to walk, but because the blind yearned to see, the lame pined to walk! He died not because He needed to get to Heaven, but because we needed to be saved from Hell.

I guess what I am getting at here is that every time you serve someone do it out of love! If you are digging wells in Africa or babysitting the neighbor’s kids, do it because you love the people you serve! Not because you are getting paid or it gives you a good feeling (even though that’s always good too)!

In John 4, Jesus went to a well for a drink when a Samaritan lady, who was outcast by her community, came and served Him. Despite her social status (Samaritans and Jews weren’t supposed to talk to each other), Jesus loved her, and in return, told her about the Living Water. Jesus could have been in some big trouble for even talking to this lady, but He put Himself aside for the sake of her eternity!

You see, love is not self-seeking! (1 Corinth 13:5) Rich, poor, worthy, or undeserving, when you serve, ask yourself: “What can I do for this person?” not “What can I get out of this?”

When you choose to love a cause, love a person, love an animal your whole attitude changes, and your service then becomes your passion. Jesus was passionate about helping anyone He could in any way He could. He spent over thirty years giving His life away to help others out of love! Then He died as one big favor for mankind!

So if we truly desire to love God, then we desire to be like Him, and if we desire to be like Him, we desire to serve like He did. What makes a service stand out is love. If you read 1 Corinthians 13, you’ll see that it is all about love, and it is all about putting yourself aside to help the other person grow.

True godly service doesn’t just end when the act of service is over but is service done out of love. And when you serve someone out of love, that stays with them forever.

Go out and be of service to someone! Go out and love someone as Jesus would!

Stephany (Steph) Mendia accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior at age ten and has been living for Him ever since! She’s a youth worker in her church’s children’s ministry, loves kids, and has the most amazing friends and family. She attends a public high school, which has its challenges, but she loves it. She’s constantly laughing, smiling, writing, singing, and talking. You can catch up with her at her blog, Crazed About Jesus.