Serve Your Way to Greatness

What exactly is greatness? Is it owning eight homes, like one of the world’s richest men? Is it being one of the 10 highest-paid sports stars with a contract above $340 million? Maybe it is having a massive social media following, like one world-famous musician with 111 million followers on X (Twitter). Others may argue that the epitome of greatness is owning a super-rare Rolls-Royce Boat Tail automobile with a jaw-dropping price tag of $30 million.

While these achievements are impressive, Jesus Christ gave a vastly different view of what it takes to be considered great.

In Matthew 23:11, He told His disciples, “He that is greatest among you shall be your servant.” This idea was radical even thousands of years ago, turning the typical view of greatness on its head.

Jesus explained that true greatness is based on a willingness to tend to the needs of others. He certainly practiced what He preached. He healed the sick, raised the dead, fed thousands and brought a message of hope, freedom and peace. Christ’s efforts to help others resonated, and as a result, many dropped what they were doing to follow Him.

Obviously, Jesus was a man considered great in the eyes of others.

What does this mean for us? Rather than looking to stand out and make ourselves look good, we should strive to do the same thing Jesus did. We may not be able to perform miracles, but we can certainly help improve the lives of others.

Serving does not need to be complicated. It can be broken down into two important traits—helpfulness and humility. See these two “Hs” as tangible goals to strive for when you serve others. Let’s look at how to apply these traits using real-life examples supported by Scripture.

Helping Hand

The first H tied to greatness is being helpful. This does not always require grand, over-the-top gestures—small, everyday acts of kindness can also make a big difference. For example, holding a door open, helping carry heavy bags or simply offering a kind word can brighten someone’s day.

Taking a moment to assist others is incredibly important. It can have a positive ripple effect on their lives. And it is not just about the size of what you do but how often you do it.

For example, you might spend an entire day helping someone clean their yard, which is incredibly generous. However, we do not always have that much time to spare, and that is fine. Do not underestimate the value of something smaller, such as daily bringing your elderly neighbor’s newspaper to their doorstep. These kind acts may only take a few minutes but are thoughtful nonetheless.

Consistent, small deeds are a way to show true helpfulness.

At the core of being helpful, whether in big or small ways, is following what Paul told the Galatians: “Bear you one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (6:2). By definition, a burden is anything we have to carry, no matter the size.

Being a helpful Christian is about noticing the needs around us and responding with a caring heart and the right actions. As Hebrews 13:16 reminds us, “To do good and communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.”

What are some other ways to put this into practice? It can be as simple as offering to pick something up from the store for a neighbor, volunteering at a Church social or just listening to a friend or family member who is going through a tough time.

Strive for acts of service that come from the heart. Be willing to assist others without being asked.

Make the effort to follow Christ’s example. He consistently went out of his way to help others. Remember that your acts of helpfulness can make a positive difference in the lives of those around you.

Humble Service

The second H tied to greatness is being humble. Humility is fundamental for a Christian, but it is sometimes misguided. This is partly because the trait is not always fully understood.

Is true humility putting yourself down in front of others? Does it mean keeping your head down, avoiding eye contact and doing a shameful shuffle?

No! The essence of humility is to think less of yourself and elevate the needs of others.

Notice Philippians 2:3-4: “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.”

Taking care of ourselves is important, but helping others should also be a major priority.

If we have a lowly servant’s attitude, God will ensure we are eventually recognized. I Peter 5 tells us to “be clothed with humility: for God resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time” (vs. 5-6).

Strive to be a person who works quietly behind the scenes and is happy to support others without needing the spotlight. For example, you could give a gift anonymously. Such small acts of kindness we do for others without expecting a thank you show humble service in action.

Also, be sure to humbly allow others to help you. Sometimes, we hesitate to accept assistance because we think it makes us look weak, but we all need support occasionally. Even Christ accepted help, whether it was being assisted by angels after fasting for 40 days (Matt. 4:11), having His feet anointed (John 12:3), or being helped to carry His cross after being tortured and mistreated (Mark 15:21).

Allowing others to serve us ensures they get a blessing too.

Understand that even the smallest acts done with humility can make a big difference. They help us grow spiritually and become more like Jesus Christ.

Putting the Hs Together

Properly providing for the needs of others is as much about your helpful actions as it is about approaching what you do with humility.

Being helpful means taking action—helping someone in need, giving our time to a good cause, etc. On the other hand, humility is the spirit or attitude behind these actions. It means helping without expecting any thanks or recognition. We help because it is the right thing to do.

Putting both Hs together takes our service to another level.

For instance, if you are helping with the potluck after services, you should not stop at just cooking one of the dishes or bringing supplies. This is one way to serve—but you can add to it by dutifully listening to instructions given, asking others how their weeks went, or discussing the messages from the service as you enjoy your meal. It is as much about humbly giving your time as it is about bringing items.

When serving, look to make a real difference in someone else’s life. Ask, “How can I help?” instead of “What will I get out of this?” Serving with others in mind is why Christ said not to toot our own horns when we do our alms (Matt. 6:3).

This mindset makes it a little easier to accept when people may not seem appreciative of our service. Feeling unappreciated is hard for anyone. But when the driving force behind our service to others is focused on them and is less about us, we can more easily—and humbly—move beyond any perceived slights. We should also remember that sometimes we fail to show proper appreciation, whether to God or others.

Serving with helpfulness and humility makes our actions more thoughtful and heartfelt. This benefits the people we are assisting and helps us grow spiritually.

The Challenges

Sometimes when we help others, things will not turn out how we hoped. We must learn to manage our expectations to ensure we do not feel discouraged.

You may remember a time you held a door open for someone or picked up something they dropped but received no acknowledgment of your gesture. Even though these are small examples, think about how you felt at that moment. You may have had to fight off a bad attitude. We have all been there.

Though many people understand or appreciate our efforts to help, some will not. We should always approach helping others humbly, doing good without expecting anything in return, regardless. It is worth remembering that—even if others do not see or recognize our efforts—we can take comfort in knowing we made a positive difference.

As Christ said, “But when you do alms, let not your left hand know what your right hand does: that your alms may be in secret: and your Father which sees in secret Himself will reward you openly” (Matt. 6:3-4).

Another challenge is staying humble. We can start to feel self-righteous when we help others. We can see ourselves as more than we should since people depend on us, leading to a sense of superiority or a controlling, manipulative personality. Avoid this at all costs. Martha’s attitude in Luke 10:40-42 should serve as a lesson for us all.

When being helpful, we might also start to feel overwhelmed. Sometimes, the needs around us can seem too much, and our ability to help is too little. Paul wrote, “Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God” (Phil. 4:6).

Ask God for the energy to serve, and do not forget that even the smallest act of kindness can make a difference. Also, do not just serve on your own. Working alongside others when assisting provides support, understanding and encouragement. Serving others is contagious.

Helping with a kind and humble spirit includes stepping out of our comfort zones. It could mean interacting with people different from us or finding ourselves in new situations. This can be daunting, but it is also an opportunity for growth and learning.

To tackle these and other challenges related to fulfilling the needs of others, take a moment to reflect on the true reason you are helping them. What are your motives? Seek guidance from God. Ask Him to help you help others in a way that is pleasing to Him.

Ultimate Mindset

With a little effort, tending to the needs of other people will become a natural part of our lives. It will take practice, and we will not always do it perfectly, but it is worth the effort.

A good set of verses to study is found in Philippians 2:1-9. Paul gives the example of Jesus Christ serving mankind. Recall that verse 3 talks about esteeming one another better than ourselves in “lowliness of mind.” And verse 4 tells us to diligently look “on the things of others.”

Paul’s exhortation culminates in this: “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” (vs. 5).

Christ, a God-being, lowered Himself to the point of being of “no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant” (vs. 7). Even more, He “humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (vs. 8).

This can seem like an impossibly high bar, but keep it simple. Look for little ways to assist others daily. Doing so will help you grow in faith and better learn what it truly means to be a Christian.

Become great as defined by God—by taking on the role of a “servant” (Matt. 23:11). Serve others by implementing the two Hs—being helpful and humble—and reap the many benefits of this rewarding part of our Christian walk.