Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.
Another is Romans 12:6-7.
We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in the proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
The word for “service” in these verses means just that—service: to provide a benefit; to assist or help another. It is used to describe a woman in Romans 16:1-2.
I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church in Cenchrea. I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints and give her any help she may need from you, for she has been a great help to many people, including me.
Paul uses three words for “servant” or “help” here. The first is “servant” as before (also translated “deacon” in other places); the second is “help” – to render assistance or aid; and the third describes a protector or guardian—one who keeps something secure and safe (it is actually the Greek word from which we get our English word “prosthesis”[1]). So we see what a servant Phoebe was: a helper, assistant, guardian, and keeper.
This is similar if not the same as the gift of helps mentioned in 1 Cor 12:28.
And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking indifferent kinds of tongues.
The word “help” here is only used in this passage in the New Testament. The Greeks used it for a person who did things that were helpful.[2] This is the person who asks, “How can I help?” Or may be the person always looking and instinctively sees how they can help. And, the amazing thing is, rather than being in the way, or hurt more than they help, they really do help!
Conclusions:
1) A person with the gift of service loves to help.
2) A person with the gift of helps loves to serve.
3) Those gifted in service or helps are driven to help; given to help; see ways to help; volunteer to help,
4) and actually are a tremendous help and blessing to others, to such an extent that without them the local church does not work.
To get involved in service takes guts. It reminds me of the courage Peter had to muster when he left the other disciples, climbed off the boat, and joined Jesus on the water in Matthew 14. It was late at night, the wind was blowing, the waves were splashing, and they saw Jesus walking on the water toward them. They thought they were seeing a ghost! But Jesus identifies himself, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
Peter answers back, “Lord, if it’s you, tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” Jesus replies.
Think about getting off that boat. Typically we think about Peter and his faith once he is on the water, when the reality of what he has done sets in, he begins to doubt and sink. Jesus helps him as he sinks, and comments, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”
But what about the other disciples? What were they doing? They were still in the boat! Maybe they were thinking, “You’ve got to be kidding me! Get into the water! Let’s just sit here and wait and see what happens to Peter. Ah ha! Yes, look—you see. He is sinking. I knew it. Man, am I glad I stayed here!”
Too often that’s our attitude about getting involved in Christian service. We don’t want to risk getting our hair messed up by the wind; or get splashed by the waves. Ministry is messy—you can get wet! But if Jesus says to Peter, “You of little faith,” what would he say to us who sit on our hands in the boat? Get off the boat! Get into the waves! Get involved. Stretch your faith! Now, let’s look at another way to climb overboard!!!
As the gift of service matures the gifted render help ever increasingly for the benefit of others, without the need for recognition or return. They reflect a combination of measurable core values.
