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General > Dr. Farley's Message
Dr. Farley's Message
Woodlands Presbyterian Church
Improving Your Serve
The title and direction of this article comes from a practical and positive book by Charles Swindoll. While this book has little to do with tennis, it has a lot to do with how a person gets a positive attitude, acts in helpful ways and honors their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The following three suggestions can definitely help us with our game of tennis, golf, bridge and daily life as Christians. First, thinking like a servant requires careful insight from The Bible. Paul defined every Christian as predestined to be conformed to the likeness of (God’s) Son. (Romans 8:29) Jesus said of himself that he >i>did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. (Mark 10:45) Therefore, rather than thinking of Himself as the Master, Jesus thought of Himself—and us—as servants. Being a servant does not however mean that we are to become the doormat to every person who comes into or goes out of our lives. Just as we are not to throw our pearls to pigs (Matthew 7:6), we are also not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought. (Romans 12:3) While Jesus came to bless us with an eternal and abundant life, He wants us to be humble servants as He requested and demonstrated. Thinking like a servant means that our thoughts are not arrogant, authoritative and obnoxious. Contrary to popular patterns, we are not self-absorbed, self-centered, self-concerned, self-oriented. Words like I, me, my and mine must be removed from our thinking and speaking. Rather, we are Jesus-centered and other-oriented. We think about how to be selfless and helpful, always seeking to give honor and glory to our Lord Jesus Christ. Let’s think like servants! Second, acting like a servant requires real and steady discipline. Thinking like a servant must lead to acting like a servant. Just as our bodily muscles are trained to throw, arch and hit the tennis ball with power and accuracy into the service square, our servant muscles must be patterned to serve Jesus and others. Daily spiritual disciplines create servant actions. In the morning, afternoon and evening, we are to step into any task to which Jesus calls us. Here are some daily examples of acting like a servant: washing a car, changing a diaper, taking a meal to a sick friend, forgiving a sorrowful sinner, pulling some weeds, opening a car door, speaking a kind word, rubbing someone’s sore feet, reading The Bible, praying before a meal, giving the remote controls to our spouse... Servant thinking followed by servant acting is quite interesting, exciting and challenging. Let’s act like servants! Third, continuing to think and act like a servant results in huge benefits. The immediate benefits of thinking and acting like a servant may not seem evident but ultimately the outcome is positive. Like seeds planted in the Spring, the farmer thinks and acts for the harvest in the Fall. Immediate results and gratification must be suspended for long term results and final gratification. The earth and everything in it is in a perpetual state of decaying and perishing. Jesus and His disciples are agents that halt the moral corruption and spiritual decay. With Jesus, we are to be the healing, helping agents that recreate, renew and restore. In a world that is tough, rough and wicked, we must not loose heart. Cutthroat competition, domestic violence, addictive drugs and greedy leaders must not make us selfish and skeptical. The battle against selfishness and for servant hood is real and fierce. The benefits are also real and final. The Lord Jesus taught his disciples at the beginning of His ministry: Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:11-12) Jesus also reminded his disciples just before his arrest and crucifixion: I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. (John 16:33) Servant thinking and acting for Jesus awakens us to the reality of the biggest and best results. Let’s then persist as servants and expect great results! Yes…this Summer as we are tempted to selfishly want what we want when we want it, let us pause, pray and rededicate ourselves to being servants of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. His thoughts and His actions will produce His fine and final results. Such thinking and acting may also give us more success in our tennis, golf, bridge and friendships. Let’s keep serving! Jim Farley |
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