Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. Matt. 20:28.

Christians who live by the principle of service are easily recognized. They seek not great things for themselves. They do not pander to their own egos. They love and serve people for their real and enduring worth before God. To make men submissive to our wants and desires is to taint the work we do with selfishness and pride. We are not to serve others for our own good, but for their good. We are to let our- reputation take care of itself.

We may have great eminence as scholars or artists and may be distinguished by gifts and attainments before men, yet we are to have the servant spirit. All Christians are to possess this. We are to be useful rather than conspicuous.

"By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward" (Heb. 11:24-26).

The closer we come to Christ, the more we rejoice that He has called us and made us His servants. To live to the glory of God and for the salvation of men is of ourselves quite beyond our reach. Without the Holy Spirit within us selfishness, the craving for self-exaltation, and self-esteem will motivate us. Ultimately God will call us great because we sought not great things for ourselves but lived to serve.

Christ organizes our lives around some other motive that personal gain and profit. As Christians, what kind of a contribution are we making to human life and human need? "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these . . . , ye have done it unto me" (Matt. 25:40). Christ will examine us for this, not for how we did socially, economically, or politically. Christ's idea of happiness and success is to be useful, to be servants to our neighbors. Happiness is the inevitable result of a certain kind of life—the servant life. The proof of this comes from the Man of Nazareth.