He sat down, called the twelve disciples over to him, and said, “Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.”
–Mark 9:35 (NLT)

We’ve all heard the saying, “It’s lonely at the top.” But because of what others may think, many of us are more comfortable with our stressful world than we are about God’s rest. I suggest to you that the idea of service to others is repulsive to many people. Therefore, it can be even more lonely at the bottom.

What do I mean by this? I simply mean that most of us have our eyes on what it takes to get ahead, and I was no exception. While I was starting out in ministry, I viewed my work more in terms of professionalism than service. I found myself looking down on people, instead of looking up to Christ. This is what we all do when we see others as stepping stones on the ladder of ambition. We may adopt an attitude of self-reliance, but we only give ourselves ulcers in the end.

On the other hand, Obedience to the teachings of Christ brings everything back into focus. In His Word, He teaches us not to look out for our interests alone. Instead, we are meant to serve one another. Servanthood is the final key to God’s kingdom, and it may be the most important key of all.

Jesus said that His disciples could experience the abundant life of peace and joy which He spoke about by obeying Him and serving others. The son of God was not talking about freedom from problems. He was referring to the rest we can receive, knowing that He is walking with us through good times and bad.
In order to live in this way, however, we must also follow His example of prayer. True prayer doesn’t change circumstances as much as it changes us. Only by asking God to change our hearts will we discover the need to look more and more intently to Christ, just as He so often turned to the heavenly Father. Then, and only then, we will truly make sense of the ideas that seem so foreign to us now.

So how are we to serve others? We are not meant to say, “I think I’ll do a random good deed once in a while.” Instead, we’re encouraged to adopt a radical lifestyle of loving, giving and putting the other person first. You might emphatically say, “That’s impossible!” And you would be right. We must draw upon God’s power to achieve this kind of life, because the Word says that without Him we can do nothing.

You might still be thinking, “If I don’t look out for number 1, who will?” Well, remember how I started. While it can be lonely at the bottom, it doesn’t have to be. If you feel all alone in service, let your loneliness draw you closer and closer to a dynamic walk with Christ. You will find a growing peace and fulfillment as you trust in Him more and more. While life may not always be easy, you will find that service to others brings freedom to live life the way it should be lived. By studying God’s Word, praying often, and serving others dilligently, your relationship with God will prosper, and your life will be richer and more fulfilling than you ever thought possible as you walk with God.

Thank you for reading this, and may the Lord give you a wonderful week! We are trying to reach people who are hurting, so if God lays it on your heart, please consider becoming a partner with us. If you would like to make a donation, please visit www.hcmachaplains.org and click on the Donate Now link. You can also send donations by mail to HCMA (Healthcare Chaplains Ministry Association). Our ID number is 560. The address is 377 E. Chapman Ave., Suite 260, Placentia, CA 92870. Finally, you’re always welcome to join our Monday night Bible study or Tuesday night prayer meeting. Both are conducted by conference call, and they take place at 5:30 PM Arizona time. Our conference number is 712-775-7031, and our ID is 607518748. We hope to talk with you soon!

If you have questions, comments or prayer requests for Timothy or Stephanie Burdick, please call 507-369-6861.