Serving is not a Spiritual Gift

I have really been chewing on the fact that Paul does not list "serving" as a spiritual gift. He says spiritual gifts are given for the purpose of service. This is funny because often times I we as Christians choose when we should serve and when we should not. I do this far too often. When I am at work at Verizon it is easy for me to turn off my "servants heart." If we are called to be like Christ, we are never supposed to turn off our servant's heart.

This all really began to sink in when I started reading Philippians. In Philippians there is a well- known verse that says, "For me to live is Christ and to die is gain." Later on Paul goes into a little more detail on what he means by this. He states that he would rather depart and be with Christ, but for now he will stay here on earth for the sole purpose of serving others. He says specifically, "I will continue will all of y0u for your progress and joy in the faith..." I think that it is crazy that he doesn't say, "I will stay here so that I can worship God more, or fellowship with people more", but he says "for all of your progress". He stayed here on earth to serve others so that they would progress in the faith. Service.

When I find myself deciding to serve when I want to serve, and not serving when I don't think I should, I am deeply convicted by Paul's absolute selflessness and servitude. My prayer is that I would never stop serving and remember that my life is not my own, for I was bought at a price and I am now a slave to righteousness. Paul says in 2 Corinthians that, "God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him." God gives us victory, but what is that victory if it is not for the glory of God? We are not our own; everything we do should be in the service of God and others in order to advance the kingdom of God and to spur each other on toward love and good deeds.