Acts 14:18
"But even so, Paul and Barnabas could scarcely restrain the people from sacrificing to them."
NLT
Get your eyes off of people and put them on Jesus.
How often we take our focus off God and place it on men. Paul is not Saint Paul in the religious sense; rather he is a Saint because he is new in Christ Jesus who forgave him of his sins. God did great things through Paul and Barnabas who were just people like you and me - people who had the mind of Christ. When we think of people as super heroes, we deceive ourselves in thinking they did things that we could never do, but you know what? God does great things through people today.
Jesus said that He did not come to be served, but to serve (Matthew 20:28). If we are to "arm ourselves also with the same mind" (1 Peter 4:1 NKJV) then we must serve others. Paul exhorts us saying, "You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had" (Philippians 2:5 NLT). What is your attitude toward serving others?
God wants to use you to do awesome things. People who forsake their own needs and wants by serving others demonstrate their focus is on Jesus. The kind of humility that it takes to deny yourself in order to serve others is unnatural to man, but through the incredible work of God it is made possible. There are more opportunities to serve others than there are of being served. What does that say about individuals willing to let others serve them, but never serve others? It speaks volumes about their focus. Have you positioned yourself to serve or to be served?
Dear Father,
Please forgive me for the times when I've taken my focus off of You and placed it on people. Please give me a heart to serve You by serving others. I want to be Your humble and obedient servant. Thank You. In Jesus' name, Amen.
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