How Do We Serve God? Understanding and Embracing a Life of Service

Psalm 100:2 (English Standard Version)

Serve the Lord with gladness!

Come into his presence with singing!

Often, the concept of a calling to serve God is narrowly associated with religious figures like priests or monks. However, the Bible presents a broader perspective: every individual is called to serve God in their unique way. This service isn’t confined to a specific profession or vocation, although your career path can certainly align with your chosen form of service.

Serving God extends far beyond the walls of a church and permeates every aspect of your existence. It shapes your interactions with others, your place in the world, and your inner spiritual life. To truly understand How Do We Serve God, we can look to the teachings of Jesus Christ and draw inspiration from the exemplary life of St. Francis of Assisi. Their examples provide practical pathways to integrate service into our daily lives and understand the profound meaning it holds.

Understanding What Serving God Truly Means

To effectively explore how do we serve God, we must first clarify what this service entails. God, in His omnipotence, has no needs in the way humans do. We turn to God for guidance and support, not the other way around. Instead, God’s call to service is an invitation, empowering us with grace, talents, and passions to fulfill His divine purposes in the world.

Jesus Christ embodies this perfectly. He is the ultimate manifestation of God’s love for humanity. His life was dedicated to serving others, especially those marginalized and in need – the poor, the sick, the outcasts, and those overlooked by society. Jesus’s boundless love for humanity, recognizing all as children of God, culminated in his ultimate act of service: the willing sacrifice of his own life.

Mark 10:45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Therefore, to serve God is to emulate Jesus’s earthly ministry and dedicate ourselves to serving others. Service becomes the tangible expression of our love for God, His creation, and our fellow human beings. Scripture, particularly Matthew 25:34–40, outlines the requirements for serving in Jesus’s name. This passage reveals that caring for the most vulnerable among us is the very essence of entering the Kingdom of Heaven.

Matthew 25:35–40 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

The Catholic tradition further elaborates on this through the Works of Mercy, categorizing them into seven Corporal Works of Mercy and seven Spiritual Works of Mercy. These works serve as practical guidelines for how to serve God by attending to the needs of others.

The Corporal Works of Mercy provide a framework for addressing the physical and material needs of others. They call us to actively engage with the world and treat every individual as if they were Christ himself in disguise.

1. Feed the hungry
2. Give drink to the thirsty
3. Shelter the homeless
4. Visit the sick
5. Visit the prisoners
6. Bury the dead
7. Give alms to the poor

These actions are tangible ways to serve God by directly impacting the physical well-being of those around us.

If the Corporal Works of Mercy focus on the body, the Spiritual Works of Mercy guide us in nurturing spiritual well-being, both in ourselves and in others. They address the intangible needs of the human spirit and provide another dimension to how we serve God.

1. Counsel the doubtful
2. Instruct the ignorant
3. Admonish the sinner
4. Comfort the sorrowful
5. Forgive injuries
6. Bear wrongs patiently
7. Pray for the living and the dead

It’s important to note that “admonishing the sinner” is not about judgment but about offering compassionate guidance and earnest advice. Serving God through serving others is the core of Jesus’s compassionate teachings. St. Francis of Assisi, throughout his life after his spiritual awakening, emphasized following in Jesus’s footsteps, embodying His actions in our daily lives, offering a powerful example of how to serve God.

Scriptural Guidance on Serving God: Learning from Examples

Scripture offers profound insights into the diverse ways we can serve both God and our fellow human beings. To deepen our understanding of service, we can draw inspiration from the life and examples of St. Francis of Assisi, who beautifully exemplified Jesus’s teachings in Matthew 25:35–40. His life provides tangible examples of how we serve God in practical terms.

The story of St. Francis and the Leper vividly illustrates the transformative power of living the Works of Mercy. Raised in wealth and privilege, Francis, like many of his time, felt revulsion towards lepers, despite offering them alms. He described encountering them as a “bitter thing”.

St. Francis embracing the leper

One day, encountering a leper on horseback, Francis experienced a profound shift within him. Instead of his usual avoidance, he felt compelled to act differently. He rode towards the leper, offering alms and, remarkably, embracing and kissing the leper’s hand. In his Testament, St. Francis recounted that this act of mercy transformed the “bitter thing” into a “sweetness of soul and body.” This encounter revealed to Francis that offering compassion to society’s outcasts allows us to recognize the shared humanity in everyone. It illuminates the understanding that all individuals are created in God’s image and likeness, and that serving them is, indeed, how we serve God.

Matthew 5:43–45 You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

Service extends beyond those we deem worthy or comfortable to help; it encompasses even our enemies. The account of St. Francis and the Sultan further exemplifies this radical notion of service. During the Fifth Crusade in 1219, Francis journeyed to Egypt amidst the siege of Damietta. Driven by his faith, he crossed into the Muslim camp seeking to speak with Sultan Malik al-Kāmil.

St. Francis meeting the Sultan

The Sultan, despite being advised to execute Francis for attempting to convert Muslims, welcomed him and engaged in dialogue about their respective faiths. Moved by Francis’s unwavering faith, the Sultan ensured his safe passage back home. Francis, in turn, developed admiration for the Sultan’s devotion and gained a “new perspective” on prayer and God’s majesty. This encounter highlights that pursuing peace, both outwardly and inwardly, begins with reconciliation and dialogue even with those considered “other.” Recognizing God’s presence in everyone compels us to engage in conversation, fostering understanding and leading to positive change for ourselves and the world. This is another crucial aspect of how do we serve God: through seeking peace and understanding.

First Corinthians 12:4–7 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

Our unique talents also provide avenues for service. We are each endowed with different gifts, and we are called to utilize these gifts within a community. Sharing our talents enriches not only the lives of others but also brings fulfillment to our own lives. The Franciscan tradition encourages serving the common good by being present to one another and to all of creation.

St. Francis’s deep connection with nature is evident in the story of St. Francis and the Wolf. In Gubbio, he encountered a wolf terrorizing the town. Instead of resorting to violence, Francis approached the wolf, admonished it, and negotiated a peace agreement: the wolf would cease its attacks in exchange for regular feeding by the townspeople. The wolf lived peacefully among them until its natural death. As the patron saint of ecology, Francis viewed nature as a reflection of God, referring to all creatures and natural phenomena as his “brothers” and “sisters.” Connecting faith to nature is another way to be present to the world around us and draw closer to God, who created everything out of love. This demonstrates how do we serve God through stewardship of creation.

Practical Ways to Serve God in Everyday Life

1 Peter 4:10–11

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

The empowering message is that serving God is accessible in virtually every facet of our lives. Drawing upon the lessons from St. Francis, here are practical ways to integrate service into your daily routine and truly embody how do we serve God:

1. Deepen Engagement with Your Church, Parish, and Community: Actively participate in your faith community. Share your God-given gifts to enrich the lives of others and strengthen the bonds within your community. Getting more involved in church provides numerous avenues for service and connection.

2. Practice Prayerful Compassion for Those in Need: Extend practical support to those in your community who are struggling. This could involve donating food, volunteering time, or offering comfort to those who are hungry, tired, or marginalized. These acts of kindness are direct ways to serve God by serving His children.

3. Cultivate Mindfulness and Presence: In our fast-paced world, distractions abound. Consciously strive to bring mindful and compassionate action to your daily interactions. Seek opportunities to serve colleagues, family members, and members of your wider community with intention and care.

4. Embrace Respect and Curiosity in Every Encounter: Recognize that every individual is a child of God, deserving of respect. Approach all interactions with curiosity and a willingness to understand different perspectives, even when disagreements arise. Reconciling differences and fostering mutual respect is part of how we serve God by honoring His creation.

5. Proactively Reach Out and Advocate for Others: Service is not passive; it requires action. Emulate Jesus by actively seeking to comfort and uplift those around you. Offer your talents and skills to those in need. Furthermore, advocate for the vulnerable who cannot speak for themselves by reaching out to authority figures and those in positions of power.

6. Prioritize Care for the Most Vulnerable: Those with the fewest resources and the least societal power are often in greatest need of our service. Seek out opportunities to mentor children, visit the elderly, and extend kindness to those who are frequently overlooked or ignored. Serving the vulnerable is a direct and profound way to serve God.

7. Become Stewards of Creation: Recognize that we are interconnected with the natural world, not separate from it. Treating God’s creation with reverence and respect is a vital way to serve God, especially in the face of climate change and environmental challenges. Actively seek ways to regenerate the environment, practice mindful consumption, and use resources responsibly.

Service is a journey from understanding God’s will to actively embodying it through action and advocacy. Just as St. Francis experienced grace when he embraced the leper, our moments of grace arise when we embrace inclusivity and compassion for all, even those perceived as outside societal norms.

This path is not always easy. Our biases, prejudices, and ingrained societal norms can create obstacles. We may not be called to confront enemy armies or venture into dangerous wildernesses, but we are all called to cultivate the courage to step outside our comfort zones and act according to what is right, motivated by love for God.

If you are already engaged in acts of service, consciously connecting them to your faith can deepen your spiritual life. Conversely, if you seek to enrich your spiritual life, engaging in good works is a powerful way to integrate faith into your everyday experiences. Theological studies offer a valuable opportunity to connect Scripture to your actions, relationships, work, and passions. This integration can lead to a more holistic life, enhanced self-awareness, greater spiritual consciousness, and a deeper connection with both humanity and the earth.

The Master of Theological Studies – Franciscan Theology program provides a foundation for understanding and integrating service with a faith tradition rooted in the teachings of Jesus Christ. At the Franciscan School of Theology, we believe that every unique gift can be channeled into service for God. Our program offers a space for reflection on how you can better fulfill your calling to serve God in the world, leading to joy and fulfillment – which is, ultimately, what God desires for each of us.