Put On Your Apron And Serve: What’s Holding You Back From Serving?

Usually, when we hear the word serve talk among women, we think of the story of Mary and Martha; but today I want to share a personal story intertwined with other biblical characters that I hope will encourage you as it has me to serve.

About 7 years ago, when my first son was born, and after several adjustments, I left my job outside the home to stay home with him. Since my income was the main one at that time, I started looking for options to contribute to the income from home.

I came up with the brilliant idea of learning to bake and decorate cakes by watching videos on the Internet. After many failed attempts, everything started to improve and I began to dream of my business “Peace of Cake”; to show her support, my mom sewed an apron for me, which I only use while baking.

Over time, I managed to greatly improve my skills and recipes. Obviously, when we moved to Colorado Springs, CO, I continued using it. But honestly, my apron has been stored in the kitchen cabinets for more than a year.

Now that we rent a house, the kitchen is more spacious and I have space to store the equipment and tools for decorating; but even so, I haven’t baked even once. Why? Because I have found many reasons… or rather many excuses.

The Privilege of Serving

The same thing happens to us in our Christian life; by grace we have been given gifts, we have been equipped to serve in different areas with the purpose of building up the body of Christ, the Church (Ephesians 4). But we also find reasons, or more than reasons, excuses, for not doing what corresponds to us.

For me, baking is a hobby that, if I do it correctly, could be a source of income. However, ministry is a gift that God has distributed to us by the Holy Spirit according to His will. (Hebrews 2:4)

When I say ministry, I’m talking about to the service you can offer every day at home, in the community, and in the church. So we must ask ourselves:

What gift has God given you?
What does ministry look like for you?

Could it be helping, serving, teaching, exhorting, contributing, leading, being merciful, sharing wisdom? What about building an ark, like Noah? Being God’s ambassador, like Moses? Or a warrior like Gideon?

Serving is not easy

Do you remember Gideon? I’m surprised by his part of the conversation during his calling in Judges 6:

“The Lord has abandoned us”
“My family is the poorest”
“I am the youngest.”

After he realizes he has been talking with the angel of the Lord, he obeys and completes the first task: tear down Baal’s altar. We would think that from then on he would do everything the Lord asked him, but it wasn’t so.

The Spirit of the Lord comes upon him and gives him leadership to gather a great army. But even so, Gideon is not ready to go out. He needs more signs.

Have you been there? Sure that God is calling you to do something, but you need more signs. I have been there, more times than I would like to admit.

One of the classic examples of excuses is Moses. While studying his story, I realized how much I resemble him. Let’s see his excuses:

“Who am I?” (Exodus 3:11)
“What shall I tell them?” (Exodus 3:13)
“What if they don’t believe me?” (Exodus 4:1)
“I have never been eloquent” (Exodus 4:10)
“Please send someone else” (Exodus 4:13, NIV)

Can you think of any occasion when you used the same excuses? Especially that last one. “Please, send someone else.”

What about Noah? His gift was building. We don’t know if it was his job, but it was definitely his gift. And what a task he received!

Building a great ark. He got to work and, by God’s grace, the work of his hands became the means of salvation and the beginning for a new generation.

Moreover, it was a shadow of the magnificent plan of salvation through Jesus. Those around him offered excuses, but Noah didn’t stop. He made the decision not to listen to them. Why? What strengthened him to keep going?

The Motivation to Serve

We have a clue in Genesis 6:8: “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.” We don’t have all the details, but apparently Noah understood how deep sin was in the world and trusted in God’s plans. He decided to obey, regardless of the cost.

You and I have found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Noah had only part of the story. However, we, as John 1:17 says, have received grace and truth made reality in Christ Jesus.

Today we have the complete story. We have sinned, forgotten Him, disobeyed Him, lived for our own desires… and even so, God sent His Son to save us. Not because we deserved it, but by grace.

We have been set free, because Jesus did not look for excuses to avoid the cross. Instead, He showed us what love is:

“Although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” – Philippians 2:6-8

Jesus has served us. We have been equipped by the Holy Spirit, and now it’s our turn to serve. The question is:

Do you know what your gift is?
Are you using it to its full potential?
Or are you hiding your apron?

Common Excuses for Not Serving

The same excuses I use for not baking are the ones I choose for not using my gifts. When I stop fulfilling my ministry, I need strength and I find it in Galatians 5:13-14.

“For you were called to freedom, brothers; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'”

I don’t have time

This verse reminds me that I have been called to freedom. As free people, we can choose how to use our time. The truth is that I do have time to bake, but I must stop doing certain things to achieve it. What do you need to stop doing to have time to join God in His work?

Others can do it better

Perhaps this is somewhat valid, but the command is: serve one another through love. It’s true, your gift is not unique in the world, but no one can use it like you. There is someone who needs your service, someone who will not be reached by another person.

I’m not good enough

Love has no performance standards. The commandment doesn’t change, it is: “you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” If someone is drowning, they don’t care if the lifeguard is new or has years of experience. They just need help. So too there are people around us who need what you can offer them.

Is serving truly worth the effort?

After several attempts, serving can seem exhausting, and we can think that the reward is not worth the effort. But we are warned: “do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh,” because “those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” (Romans 8:8)

“Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” – Galatians 5:24

If we understand the grace we have received and the freedom we enjoy, we will want to use that freedom wisely. We have already received the best reward: being reconciled to God.