Christian Minimalism: Simple Steps for Abundant LivingSample

Day 7 - Service

In the 13th chapter of the Gospel of John, we read about Jesus washing the disciples’ feet at the Last Supper. When people entered a house back then, the tradition was for a servant to wash the guests’ feet. People wore sandals and walked pretty much everywhere. Trust me, those feet were nasty. Dirt, sweat, sand, and who knows what else were caked on from a whole day’s walking. Washing feet was dirty, gross, lowly work.

Foot washing is a metaphor about being a servant. It’s about getting dirty doing God’s work. It’s about connecting with our neighbors as we serve them. It’s about loving one another even when we may not like something about the other person. Being a Jesus follower is not always about doing the flashy stuff. It’s about helping people and serving them and loving them in small but important ways (Philippians 2:3-4).

Many times, these small ways aren’t the prettiest. They are the grubby, getting in the dirt of life, messy ways of serving. And this serving and loving is not only something Jesus tells us to do, it’s what Jesus calls us to do. As Christians, we are called to do what Jesus did: to serve others and love them without hesitation. We are called to serve everyone and love them just as God first loved us.

When we serve those in need, it is not only the serving that is important but also the connection. Everything Jesus did was about connection with people: healing, teaching, talking one-on-one, feeding people, washing feet. Talking with people, hearing their story, connecting with them as much as possible while also helping and serving—that is how we share God’s love.

Because serving others is a big part of following Jesus, it is one of the aspects of life that matters most for Christian minimalists. Through service, we fulfill our God-given callings and share the Good News of Jesus’s unconditional love for all people.

How is God calling you to serve others in Jesus’s name?

If you enjoyed this 7-day devotional from Becca Ehrlich, you’ll love the Christian minimalism book, Christian Minimalism: Simple Steps for Abundant Living and the Christian minimalism blog.