D. L. Moody once said, “The measure of a man is not in how many servants he has, but how many he serves.”
Jesus gave us the unchanging key to greatness when He said, “He who is greatest among you shall be your servant” (Matthew 23:11–12, MEV).
Years ago, I watched an interview with a young businessman who had built a billion-dollar tea company before the age of thirty. Independent tests confirmed his product was the healthiest tea in America. When asked who his heroes were, he replied, “Jesus Christ. He taught me to serve people. My goal was never to build a billion-dollar company—it was to serve people with the finest tea possible.”
That answer says everything.
A servant’s heart is revealed by a willingness to serve.
I remember a group of teenagers from a local church who would go into neglected neighborhoods and offer to clean up run-down properties—free of charge. One day they approached an elderly widow who assumed they wanted money. When they explained they were simply there to serve in Jesus’ name, they cleaned her home and yard without taking a dime. Moved to tears, she asked to be introduced to this Jesus. Right there in her living room, she gave her life to Christ.
Seeds of service always produce a harvest.
Here are three keys to serving well:
1. Serve without drawing attention to yourself.
Jesus warned us not to turn good deeds into performances (Matthew 6:1–4, MSG). True servants don’t serve for recognition. Master-level leaders trust that God sees—and rewards.
2. Serve in the way you can.
When a woman anointed Jesus with expensive oil, He defended her saying, “She did what she could” (Mark 14:6–9, MSG). God never asks us to serve beyond our calling or capacity. Everybody fits somewhere—but nobody fits everywhere.
I spent years trying to meet everyone’s expectations as a pastor until I finally cast that burden on the Lord and committed to doing what I could do—and only that. It was liberating.
3. Serve faithfully.
“Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21, AMP).
Faithfulness is the bridge between being called and being chosen. Businesses, ministries, and lives grow when people are faithful in the small things. You can’t build a marble temple with inferior materials.
If we serve with integrity, reliability, and faithfulness—no matter how small the assignment—God will bring increase. And one day, we’ll hear the words every servant longs to hear: “Well done.”
So here’s the real secret to greatness: Serve.
Learn more about having a servant’s heart in the Art of Pacesetting Leadership.
Dear Pastor Dave,
Thank you sir for your continued presentation of God’s truth through His word. A few years ago I found the book “The Leadership Lessons of Jesus” by Bob Briner and Ray Pritchard in of all places at Camp Grayling’s PX! Basically the authors cover the Gospel of Mark, illustrating 75 leadership traits of Jesus. I have been blessed to have had many servant leaders in my 42 years in the military and only a handful of well, not so ‘aspiring’ leaders. The leaders I chose to emulate all had one thing in common, their love of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Godspeed sir to you, and Mary Jo,
George