By Jeff Cranston

 “God in His grace chose me even before I was born, and called me to serve him.” – Galatians 1:15, GNT

You are God’s masterpiece. You are God’s work of art. You are unique. There’s nobody like you in the world. And you were created in Christ Jesus to do good works. 

Those good works are called your service, your ministry, your blessing. It’s the way you help other people. You weren’t made to just take up space, breathe, live a self-centered life and die. God put you here to contribute with your life.  

What happens if you begin to serve others? It brings some amazing benefits. Let me share with you a few:

1. Unselfishly serving others creates joy in your life.

Most people are looking for happiness in all the wrong places. You don’t find happiness in pleasure, power, possessions, position, prestige, or popularity. Success, sex, status and salary don’t bring satisfaction. Those are all temporary. Permanent ongoing joy comes through service—by giving your life away. When you give your life away, that’s when the joy flows into your heart. Why? Because God wants you to be like Him.

2. Unselfishly serving others will bring meaning to your life.

The only way you will find meaning in life is to give your life away. Meaning does not come from money. We think if I just get more money, then life will have more meaning. No, it won’t. No amount of money will ever give your life meaning. 

Meaning comes from ministry, from serving, from giving your life away. Everything you do for Christ has a purpose. It may seem insignificant and maybe no one else seems to know about it, but it’s important. Jesus said, “And anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name, just because you belong to me, will surely be rewarded.” (Mark 9:41, CEV)

3. Unselfishly serving others will leave a legacy.

Actually, you’ll leave two legacies: one on earth and one in eternity. The one on earth isn’t going to last very long. But the rewards you get in eternity are going to go on and on and on forever.

What are you going to be remembered for? Will you be remembered for serving and being generous and kind? Or will you be remembered for being self-centered and narcissistic? The Bible says in Proverbs 10:7, NCV: “Good people will be remembered as a blessing.”

If you want to leave a legacy, then start serving. Unselfishly. Do something with your life that you won’t get something back for monetarily. 

The greatest use of your life is to invest it in that which outlasts it. You’ve got three choices with your life: You can spend your life, you can waste your life or you can invest your life. What will you do with your life? If you build your life on the Word of God and people, then you will build your life on things that are going to last.

Jeff Cranston is lead pastor at LowCountry Community Church in Bluffton, S.C.

Volunteering is one of the best ways to discover community and use the gifts God has given you. There are areas in every ministry where you can use your specific skills to help, connect with, and show love to others.