Faith to Serve 

The BHCS theme this year of ‘Faith to Serve’ came to mind during the recent Australian Open championship match.  For only the fourth time in his tennis career, Rafael Nadal completed a comeback from such an adverse position.  At two sets to love down, Nadal still had the ‘faith to serve’.  

Ok, maybe that’s not exactly the kind of serving our theme means.  So what does it mean to me?

My faith journey began 50 years ago this year and over that time I’ve discovered how inextricably linked true faith and acts of service are.  My favourite book of the Bible is James (thought to be written by the brother of Jesus), because of the practical, tell-it-like-it-is, life-advice contained in its pages.  One of the things it tells me is “faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” (James 2:17 NIV).  

I can’t earn salvation by doing good things, but the evidence of my relationship with God can be seen in my actions toward others.  I have seen this first-hand through my parents, who, well into their eighties, still have a strong desire to serve others as an expression of their faith in God. 

It can be easy to serve others when they are being considerate toward you and everything is going well.  In fact it probably doesn’t require too much faith at all.  It’s a different matter, however, when people are treating you unfairly, or your world is rocked by a diagnosis or loss of some kind.  

The last two years have shaken us all, and brought out both the best and worst in people, but the repercussions are also presenting so many opportunities to serve.  Being proactive and determined to serve others through simple, spontaneous acts of kindness can have such an incredibly powerful, life-giving effect, not only for them, but for ourselves. 

When the conditions are adverse and I feel ‘two sets to love down’, it’s then I need faith to serve.    

And the God I serve is faithful to provide what I need to continue to serve others.