In the previous post, I explained the meaning of John 12:24, and ultimately, how it applies to single Christians. God wants us to produce good fruit, and that means that we ought to become more Christ-like, but it also means that we should make more Christians. As single adults, our mandate is to die to ourselves so that we can produce that fruit.
The Solution
The big question is, "How do we die to ourselves?" Often thoughts of constant prayer, Bible reading, going to church pop in our heads. (By the way, if those are things that you don't like to do, then you should re-examine your relationship with Jesus; if you love him, those things will not be a drag.) As well, we think of ways that we can avoid temptation and sin, assuming that taking up our cross requires piety. Also, we think of ways that we can become more full of faith, hope, and love—the three most important Christian virtues that exemplify Christian growth.
Dying to ourselves is answered much more simply than attempting to apply a self-help book to our lives.
Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Mat. 20:25-28 NIV)
Becoming servants to all is an extension of dying to ourselves. We don't want to serve other people, but we want to be served. To produce Godly fruit, we must become servants to all.
Servitude combats selfishness. If we can serve others, we'll be able to serve our future spouse and
children well. We have to build and grow our own character before we
can shape the character of others. If we want to become leaders, we
must become servants first. If we involve ourselves in public ministry without a servant's heart, we destroy ourselves and those souls we would rather see in Heaven.
The Reward of Servitude
We often neglect the actual outcome of servitude in our lives. Do you remember the story Jesus told about the sheep and the goats?
"Then
the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by
my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the
creation of the world. For
I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you
gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
"The
King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the
least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'" (Mat 25:34-40 NIV)
We have eternal rewards for public service. Since we don't see those rewards in our lives right now, we easily ignore the fact that they are being stored up for us in Heaven. Every time you give a glass of water to a child, it is the same as giving it to Jesus Christ himself. Could you imagine that instead of giving clothes to a homeless person, you're actually giving them to Jesus?
What can I do?
Firstly, we should remember to take care of our own families before we try to make the world a better place (1Ti. 3:4-5). If you have a grandmother in an assisted living facility, go visit her on a regular basis (1Ti. 5:4). Is your brother in jail for drug possession? If he'll accept your visits, go see him! Is a nearby cousin without a father or a mother? Why don't you go take her to the park and spend time with her?
There are many kinds of community service that we can provide outside of family situations. Here are just three right off the top of my head:
- Volunteering at animal shelters
- Spending time with residents at nursing homes
- Prison ministry
About nine years ago, I believe God directed me to take care of my grandmother. I came to live with her for six years, and helped her take care of her sister who had Alzheimer's Disease. I provided transportation, company, upkeep for our huge yard during the summer, I often cooked for her, I helped take care of her bills, and attempted to control her hoarding as best I could so that we could both live in the same place. I was there for her when she had a stroke, and I visited her in a nursing home for almost three years. She passed away this January, and so that chapter of my life is finished. I'm now looking for the next opportunity God creates.
So, consider what you can do to benefit your family or community. Read James 1:27.
