Week 5: Being a Servent

Romans 12:10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.

Week 5 – Being a servant
Mark 10:43, “But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant.”

Practical Application

Last time we talked about the importance of being a leader by setting a good example for others to follow. One of the best ways to set a great example and honor others is by serving them. What does it mean to serve others? It means to put the needs of other above ourselves. In sports, it means putting the team ahead of ourselves. Hall of Fame basketball player Bill Russell said, ““The most important measure of how good a game I played was how much better I’d made my teammates play.”

I love the story of Daryl Johnston. Maybe you’ve never heard of him. Daryl Johnston only rushed for 8 touchdowns despite playing 10 years in the NFL. However, he was the lead blocker for Emmitt Smith, who is the NFL’s all-time leading rusher. Emmitt Smith scored 164 rushing touchdowns in his career! Johnston’s job was to help Emmitt Smith be successful. He sacrificed himself for the benefit of the team. This is a great example of honoring others by serving them.

Spiritual Application

The best example for us to follow as a servant is Jesus. Jesus was fully God yet He came to this earth not to be served but to serve others. When the disciples were arguing about which of them was the greatest, Jesus said in Mark 10:43, “But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant.” Jesus says that greatness is found in serving others. That’s incredible! Greatness has nothing to do with how good of an athlete we are or how many touchdowns we score, but in how we are serving others. God wants us to become servants to our teammates, coaches and other people in our lives. He knows that when we serve others we are honoring them above ourselves (Romans 12:10).

Challenge

Think about the following questions that will help you follow Jesus’ example and serve others.
How can I make my teammates better?
What can I do to help the team?
How can I contribute to the team?

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