Happy are You if You Do Them

John 13:17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.
This promise of the Lord comes during the Last Supper, prior to His betrayal, arrest and crucifixion. And here, Jesus is concerned with how His followers serve and their subsequent happiness.

He told them that if they would serve one another, as He had just given an example by washing their feet, and that if they would do service to their Master, they would find happiness.

Surely, there is joy, contentment and satisfaction in serving others. When we focus on ourselves we become concerned with our treatment, our advancement, our goals and our shortcomings.

Jesus is about to ultimately serve humanity by giving Himself for all. This was the joy set before Him (Philippians 2). Imagine if Jesus was only concerned with self throughout His passion. He would have put a quick end to the suffering by hailing 12 legions of angels. But instead, He chose to serve us by dying for our sins.

Let us take Christ's example and enter into service for others today.

OTHERS - by Chas D. Meigs

Lord, help me to live from day to day
In such a self forgetful way
That even when I kneel to pray
My prayer shall be for others.

Help me in all the work I do
To ever be sincere and true
And know that all I’ll do for you
Must needs be done for others.

Let self be crucified and slain
And buried deep – and all in vain
May efforts be to rise again
Unless to live for others.

And when my work on Earth is done
And my new work in Heaven begun
May I forget the crown I’ve won
While thinking still of others.

Others, Lord, others
Let this my motto be.
Help me to live for others,
That I may live like Thee.