Servanthood is a vital key to success in our spiritual lives and in all our activities, responsibilities, and relationships. It is a major part of our Christian walk. With Christ's perfect example as our standard, we can be confident that if God opens a door for us to serve another, we will succeed in fulfilling His will. We do not need to worry about lacking skills, for the Father will supply our deficiencies through the Holy Spirit, helping in our weaknesses. Our role in serving is to maintain an attitude of availability and to be attentive enough to recognize the call to serve when it comes. We must not draw back out of fear of inadequacy or past failures, but trust God to use us as His vessel. As we practice serving, we grow accustomed to God working through us, gaining confidence and learning to set aside our human nature. Knowing that it is God who accomplishes the work, we can humbly direct all praise and credit to Him. We cannot dictate the areas in which we will serve, but must accept any task God assigns, doing it to the best of our abilities, even if it does not match our expectations. No matter who receives our service or how they respond, we must remember that it is truly God we serve. Seeking approval from others indicates we are serving for the wrong reasons and the wrong person. We must serve God through commitment, not based on emotions or a need for recognition. Service should carry the same level of dedication as other commitments we make to God, offered sincerely from the heart, as to the Lord, and not to men.

As we prepare for the solemn Passover service, we focus on the significance of foot washing, a custom Jesus Christ introduced to teach His disciples humility, service, sacrifice, and forgiveness. On the night before His death, He laid aside His garments, took a towel, and washed the feet of His disciples, taking on the role of a servant. This act, typically performed by the lowest servant in a household, represented a profound humility and willingness to serve, reflecting how He lived His life from beginning to end. Christ's purpose in coming to earth was to serve all of mankind, and through this act, He demonstrated vulnerability and subservience by kneeling before others. In the first century, feet were often dirty from walking on dusty, muddy paths in open sandals, making foot washing an unpleasant and demeaning task. Yet, Christ chose to wash the dirtiest, smelliest part of His disciples, showing that true service involves self-sacrifice and self-denial without expecting conditions or rewards. He taught that if we wish to be part of God's Kingdom, we must be willing to humble ourselves and serve others, adopting the mind of God, who is unpretentious, giving, and always ready to serve. This lesson was vital, as Christ knew His time was short, and He wanted to leave His disciples with an unforgettable example. Even as He washed the feet of Judas, knowing betrayal was near, He showed no boundaries to His humility, love, and forgiveness. Foot washing is not merely a ritual for Passover evening but an everyday attitude we must carry, serving others with the same willingness Christ displayed. It reminds us to give up our time, desires, resources, and energy in service to God and others, understanding that the servant is not greater than the master. As Christ serves us daily, we are called to grow in humility and make service a way of life.

Serving others is a profound call that demands resilience, much like the challenges faced by Olympic athletes. We must overcome our fears of inadequacy, be willing to embrace discomfort, and boldly commit to using the gifts God has given us, regardless of the obstacles. Service and sacrifice are inherently difficult, often clashing with our selfish tendencies, which are hard to resist in a society that seems increasingly self-serving. Yet, we are urged to push past excuses like lacking energy or time, or feeling others are unworthy of our efforts, recognizing that such reluctance can reflect a form of cowardice that God views with strong disapproval. God promises to equip us for service, providing everything we need if we ask in faith. Even when we feel unqualified or terrified to serve, God's power ensures our success in fulfilling His will. We must trust that He can use us, just as He has done with others who doubted their abilities, and accept that sometimes He may choose others for tasks we feel suited for, understanding His greater plan. Serving God through helping His people is not a burden to fear or a situation to feel stuck in, but an honor, no matter the role or challenge. Ultimately, our service to others is service to God Himself. When we feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, welcome strangers, clothe the naked, visit the sick, or comfort those in prison, we do so unto Him. Conversely, neglecting these acts is neglecting Him. As children of God, we strive for an eternal goal, serving one another with boldness and trust in His strength, moving forward in true service to His family and our one true King.

Examining Tychicus, the companion and helper of Paul, we see many godly actions and characteristics like eagerness to serve and bringing the comfort of his news to congregations underlying his role of messenger that we should emulate. Ephesians 6: 21-22 shows that he had a larger role than the just delivering the messages; we see that he came to strengthen the hearts of brethren. Even though there are not too many references mentioning him, he had a large impact on the congregations he does visit. The apostle Paul made use of his services that he was eager to assist him building the faraway churches. Those far away locations involved traveling on ships, hostile countries, and navigating different cultures. Even though Tychicus did not have an important title, he exemplified whatever position we are given we should be quickly willing to serve God and the brethren and sometimes go outside our comfort zones to fulfill our calling.

Serving others through daily sacrifices is a vital expression of our commitment to God. We are called to imitate God and walk in love, offering ourselves as a sweet-smelling aroma through our actions. Our service to others, represented by daily grain offerings, involves sacrificing our egos and selfish desires to put others first, ultimately creating peace. Only when we combine our worship and service to God with our service to fellow man, maintaining the proper attitude, can we achieve perfect communion with God and others. Kindness, a fruit of God's Spirit, is a foundational aspect of serving others. It requires us to actively put on compassion through right thoughts, words, gestures, and deeds, reciprocating God's sacrificial love outwardly. Enabled by His indwelling Spirit, kindness compels us to think positively of others, seek opportunities to serve, and perform good works without complaint or negativity. God's Spirit of kindness gives readily to anyone in need, without keeping score or expecting anything in return, always striving to maintain peace. True kindness arises from spiritual transformation and submission to God, especially in challenging situations. It is not optional but a necessary response to the forgiveness and compassion we have received from Him. God's kindness is extended to everyone, whether deserved or not, and so must ours be in all interactions. When we struggle to extend kindness or forgiveness, it reflects a deficiency in our relationship with God, indicating we are not fully offering our humble mind in daily burnt offerings. Acts of kindness, though often simple, bear powerful fruit, especially in times of desperate need. They strengthen unity and transform our selfish, carnal minds into selfless, godly ones. Each act of kindness—whether a friendly greeting, encouraging words, a card, call, email, or even a small gesture like letting someone into traffic—reflects God's unmerited kindness to us. As God's elect, we are called to be a shining light, working diligently to exhibit His fruit of kindness without expecting anything in return, thereby producing the bond of perfection and peace with God and fellow man.