On service and winning

"But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God..."

Service. It's becoming a rare word these days as the selfishness of man rises. We are told that increasingly, man will be conceited and selfish and brutal and arrogant and disobedient ... which makes selfless service all the more a standout. Thank you troops, for serving. I'm humbly grateful to you from the bottom of my heart. Without your service and sacrifices, I could not write on this blog about the things that the Lord impresses me to write about. I have the freedom to do that thanks to all those who fought for those freedoms.

Shifting the focus from military service, to another kind of service, "For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more." 1 Corinthians 9:19

We go to war to win wars. Winning is the point in military service. There is also another battle ongoing, at all times and in all places. The spiritual battle Paul speaks of in Ephesians. We win that battle also by serving. As we serve Him, as we serve fellow man, we win more. More souls, glorifying His name. Military victories are temporary but winning souls is eternal.

Today as we watch parades and thank servicemen and women, I urge the Christian to do a heart-check. Have we become arrogant? Conceited? Do we take pride in our service to Him? Are we so involved with programs of service we have left Jesus out of the heart of it? Do we still have the attitude of a servant? Like Jesus did?

"Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross." Philippians 2:3-8

And some soul in heaven, someday, will thank you for your service.