We often have very busy schedules and can find it challenging to schedule time to serve our church, neighbors, colleagues, or friends. Serving one another is, however, crucial to the Christian life as Jesus Himself served and  he calls us to do the same:

“The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves." - (Lu 22:25-27).

With COVID-19, we all have to cope with new norms. It has become more difficult to be intentional about service as people are not as often in close proximity to one another. We have listed simple ways to serve others. It doesn't have to be costly or extravagant. Listed below are five suggestions for getting started:

Taking time to pray with someone

Ephesians 6:18 - “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”

It's not uncommon for people to offer to pray for people as a simple gesture to console them. There's actually a better way of comforting someone who is going through a rough time. Having a friend who is able to pray with you is a great help and blessing for someone who has had some tough times.

Take the time to intentionally pray with someone, asking that God will work in their situation. Prayer can be done over the phone or through Zoom if it is not safe to meet.  

Be there for your family

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

Make dinner or clean up the dishes because it is your turn, not because you have to. Often the ones you need to serve most are those who are closest to you. The attitude in our homes will improve greatly if each day we ask “How can I help you today?” and follow through accordingly. 

Prioritize others priorities 

Being a servant starts with an attitude of humility. . Jesus' life is filled with examples where he played the servant role. Christ constantly humbled himself for the sake of others and switched places with people in the lowest of positions, beginning with washing the feet of his disciples to his very coming to earth and living as an ordinary human being.

We may unconsciously consider ourselves to be better than others. For us to truly follow Jesus' example, we must believe that everyone in the room is equally important in God's eyes. Through this position, we force ourselves to leave our personal agendas behind and elevate the importance of the people we serve. 

Give of your time

Give more than just money or stuff; volunteer your time. Oftentimes, we decide to give others that material thing because we assume we know what's best for them. However, if we wish to serve others well, we should take the time to get to know them personally and treat them with respect. Without this step, helping becomes more about the good feelings we get from helping rather than about actually helping someone.

Serving your community is another way you can serve God. There are many ways to give back to your local community, from donating blood, volunteering at the Red Cross, or visiting an orphanage.

Choose good causes to dedicate your time, talents, and effort so that they can bring you and others joy and happiness. Get involved in your community as easily as you can. All it takes is a little effort to contact a local group, charity, or other community programs.

Donate clothes and other goods

You can donate clothing, shoes, dishes, blankets/quilts, toys, furniture, books, and other items all over the world. By giving these items to help others, you can serve God while decluttering your home at the same time.

You should only donate items that are clean and in good working order when preparing items for donation. Cleaning, repairing, or donating dirty, broken, or useless items takes more time from volunteers and workers who organize and sort them for distribution or sale.

Is serving really that important? Jesus says yes. His actions demonstrated the importance of serving others. 

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”  - In Mark 10:45

As we come to truly understand what Jesus has done for us, we long for others to experience the same joy and hope we have. Simply telling others is not enough. We have to demonstrate it.