There are few better ways to reflect the heart of God for people than through sacrificial service. Followers of Jesus who engage in sacrificial service to others build significantly more credibility with people of all belief systems than those who do not regularly serve others. It’s as if all people inherently recognize the goodness of God reflected by serving others with nothing expected in return. Sacrificial service means doing good works even when it’s costly, inconvenient or challenging.
“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Ephesians 2:10
“Their only suggestion was that we keep on helping the poor, which I have always been eager to do.” Galatians 2:10
How are we to serve sacrificially? Through what means? From what motivation? The five essential expressions of personal transformation are:
- Blessing others with your words and deeds
- Partnering with others to minister in practical ways
- Ministering personally and appropriately to the poor
- Speaking up for people experiencing injustice
- Cultivating a compassionate heart
You can purchase a discipleship guide that takes you into more depth in each of these areas here.
This blog entry is a part of a series on the 8 dimensions of discipleship. You can purchase the entire set here.
Where are you currently in your discipleship journey? Use our assessment tool to learn more: http://discipleassessment.com/.