Motivational gifts

Serving

(Joh 13:1) It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.

(Joh 13:2) The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus.

(Joh 13:3) Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God;

(Joh 13:4) so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.

(Joh 13:5) After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

(Joh 13:6) He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?"

(Joh 13:7) Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand."

(Joh 13:8) "No," said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet." Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me."

(Joh 13:9) "Then, Lord," Simon Peter replied, "not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!"

(Joh 13:10) Jesus answered, "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you."

(Joh 13:11) For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

(Joh 13:12) When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them.

(Joh 13:13) "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am.

(Joh 13:14) Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet.

(Joh 13:15) I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.

(Joh 13:16) I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.

(Joh 13:17) Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

(Php 2:1) If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion,

(Php 2:2) then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.

(Php 2:3) Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.

(Php 2:4) Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

(Php 2:5) Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:

(Php 2:6) Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,

(Php 2:7) but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

(Php 2:8) And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!

(Php 2:9) Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,

(Php 2:10) that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

(Php 2:11) and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

(Php 2:1) If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion,

(Php 2:9) Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,

(Php 2:7) but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

(Php 2:8) And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!

(Joh 13:17) Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

(Joh 11:20) When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home.

(Joh 11:39) "Take away the stone," he said. "But, Lord," said Martha, the sister of the dead man, "by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days."

(Joh 1:43) The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, he said to him, "Follow me."

(Joh 1:44) Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida.

(Joh 1:45) Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph."

(Act 6:2) So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.

(Act 6:3) Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them

(Act 6:4) and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word."

(Act 6:5) This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism.

(Act 6:6) They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.

(Act 6:7) So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.

(Act 21:8) Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist, one of the Seven.

(Gen 29:20) So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.

(Gen 29:21) Then Jacob said to Laban, "Give me my wife. My time is completed, and I want to lie with her."

(Gen 29:22) So Laban brought together all the people of the place and gave a feast.

(Gen 29:23) But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah and gave her to Jacob, and Jacob lay with her.

(Gen 29:24) And Laban gave his servant girl Zilpah to his daughter as her maidservant.

(Gen 29:25) When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? I served you for Rachel, didn't I? Why have you deceived me?"

(Gen 29:26) Laban replied, "It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the older one.

(Gen 29:27) Finish this daughter's bridal week; then we will give you the younger one also, in return for another seven years of work."

(Gen 29:28) And Jacob did so. He finished the week with Leah, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife.

(Luk 10:38) As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him.

(Luk 10:39) She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said.

(Luk 10:40) But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”(Luk 10:41) "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things,(Luk 10:42) but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

(Gen 25:29) Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished.

(Gen 25:30) He said to Jacob, "Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I'm famished!" (That is why he was also called Edom.)

(Gen 25:31) Jacob replied, "First sell me your birthright."

(Gen 25:32) "Look, I am about to die," Esau said. "What good is the birthright to me?"

(Gen 25:33) But Jacob said, "Swear to me first." So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob.

(Gen 25:34) Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left. So Esau despised his birthright.

1. Notices the practical needs of others and enjoys meeting them2. Enjoys serving to free others for more important things3. Is willing to neglect his own work to help others4. Sometimes goes beyond his physical strength in serving others5. Can remember the likes, and dislikes, of others

6. Can usually detect ways to serve before anyone else can7. Will even use his own funds to get a job done quickly8. Does not mind doing jobs by himself9. does not want public praise, despite the fact that he needs to feel appreciated10. Finds it difficult to say “no” to those who ask for help11. Likes to put “extra touches” on the jobs he does.

(Rom 16:1) I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church in Cenchrea.

(Rom 16:2) I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been a great help to many people, including me.

(Gal 2:21) [Therefore, I do not treat God's gracious gift as something of minor importance and defeat its very purpose]; I do not set aside and invalidate and frustrate and nullify the grace (unmerited favor) of God.