Redefining Strength: Serving Others Humbly in Love
In our culture, strength is often defined by physical might, muscle size, and the ability to move things with force. But Jesus redefines strength for us in ways that challenge our conventional understanding. What the world might not consider strong, Jesus sees as the strongest.
What Does True Strength Look Like in God’s Kingdom?
In Galatians 5:13-14, Paul writes: “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free, but do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh. Rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: love your neighbor as yourself.”
The original Greek text uses a striking phrase – “enslave yourselves to one another through love.” This seems contradictory at first. Paul tells us we are free, yet calls us to be slaves. He flips conventional wisdom on its head, explaining that our freedom in Christ comes with responsibility. We aren’t free just to do whatever we want; we’re free to love and serve others.
The people who are truly the most free are those who serve humbly in love.
The Battle Between Flesh and Spirit
Unfortunately, serving others humbly doesn’t come naturally to us. Paul continues in Galatians 5:15-21 to describe the conflict between our flesh (selfish nature) and the Spirit:
“If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other. So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh.”
Paul then lists the acts of the flesh: sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, and orgies.
Notice something important about this list – every single item is relational. Every sin affects our relationships with others. Selfishness fractures families. Pride poisons parenting. Anger destroys legacy.
How Do We Live Differently?
In Philippians 2, Paul makes what might be his most shocking statement: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.” This runs entirely contrary to human nature! We naturally want to do everything out of selfish ambition.
Paul continues: “Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests, but each of you to the interests of others.”
Humility isn’t thinking less of yourself; it’s thinking of yourself less. It’s where our minds and hearts are shaped by watching for opportunities to love our brothers and sisters.
This is crucial because the world will see God’s goodness through His church and disciples who love one another in ways that stand out from the rest of the world. As Jesus said, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
The Problem of Self-Absorbed Service
We all drift toward self-absorbed service. We start thinking that because we serve or give, people should serve us or do what we tell them. But the kingdom mindset moves downward toward humility, not upward toward hierarchy.
When we treat others not as fellow servants but as our servants, we serve to show them our goodness rather than God’s goodness. Serving others strips away pride like nothing else can.
If you serve others humbly in love:
- Your pride will be offended
- You will be taken for granted
- You will be misunderstood or criticized
- You will be interrupted
- You will serve people who don’t deserve it or won’t appreciate it
- You will do more than your fair share
But you will also reflect Jesus in a way nothing else can.
Pride vs. Love
Pride says: “What about me?”
Love says: “I will serve even if it costs me.”
Pride seeks credit. Love seeks good.
When your pride is offended, do you fight to win or do you fight to love? The answer depends on whether you follow the flesh or the Spirit.
The Fruit of the Spirit
Galatians 5:22-26 describes the alternative to living by the flesh: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”
The key is allowing the flesh to be crucified – allowing self to die. “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.”
How We Often Serve
Unfortunately, we often serve:
- Begrudgingly out of obligation
- Arrogantly out of pride
- Manipulatively out of control
- Resentfully out of insecurity
- Selectively out of favoritism
This happens when we take our eyes off Christ and stop walking in step with His Spirit.
Stewards of God’s Grace
1 Peter 4 reminds us: “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”
A steward is someone entrusted with something to care for. We’ve been given God’s grace to steward so the world can see it through our lives.
If we don’t have this mindset, we can serve in big ways and still do harm if our hearts are self-serving. Many people have been hurt by well-intentioned church members who served with wrong motives.
Life Application
The world says: “Be strong so people will notice you. Be strong so no one can break you.”
Jesus says: “Be strong enough to serve as the Spirit shapes you.”
To apply this message to your life this week:
- Crucify the self – Identify where you need to die to selfish desires
- Cultivate the Spirit – Nurture the fruit of the Spirit in your life
- Commit to the towel – Choose to serve others humbly in love
Ask yourself these questions:
- Where has pride poisoned my relationships?
- Who around me needs me to pick up the towel and serve?
Try this prayer exercise: “Lord, help me to crucify [act of the flesh] and cultivate [fruit of the Spirit] this week.”
Spend time reflecting on Galatians 5:13-26 and consider what you need to crucify and what you need to cultivate. As you serve others humbly in love, you’ll reflect Jesus to the world in powerful ways.