Jesus - clearly defines for his disciples - 3 times that we know of - the place & primacy of service - servanthood within the KINGDOM of God - Commanding it - Mandating it amongst his disciples. Matthew 20 - James and John send their Mom to Jesus to ask for positional side seats to Jesus.; Luke 22 - during the Last Supper a fight breaks out over who’s the greatest or going to be and John 13 - Jesus washes his disciples feet - and tells them - 15I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.
Serving is a discipline with little natural appeal, but these tiny corners of life are the genuinely significant realities in the kingdom of God. There is no flash, no glitz, no grandiose anything. Yet within the Kingdom of God the greatest honor and authority is reserved for the one with the heart of a servant.
Jesus' most telling statement of course is when he reveals his ultimate purpose with his disciples - "For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)
Service, Servanthood or serving - AGAIN is not so much what you do - but how - and who’s being revealed through you in it. In its purest form it will reveal the heart of Jesus through us - as we love and serve each other and those around us - HOWEVER that looks.
Service is NOT about LOOKS - but about his grace, his love, his compassion, his patience being flowing through us to those around us - even without others knowing. Of all the spiritual disciplines, service is the most conducive to the growth of the humility within us - its just usually painful - but does the job - when its rightly motivated and empowered through the Holy Spirit.