Called to Serve

The final sentence of the verse is very simple but contains deep spiritual teaching. She was healed, and then she served. Grace and service are closely connected. We often come to the Lord because we need help. We pray when we’re sick, seek God when we face problems, and cry out to Him under pressure. None of that is wrong—God does invite us to come to Him.

But the question is: after we receive God’s help, what do we do? Peter’s mother-in-law did not stop at being healed. That healing produced a response. She rose and served Jesus. Serving is not a way to buy God’s favor. We do not serve so that God will love us. Rather, we serve because we have first received His grace. We do not work to earn salvation. We serve because we have already received salvation. We do not do good so that God will accept us. We do good because He has already accepted us. Grace produces gratitude, and gratitude produces a life of service.

Sometimes people easily forget God’s goodness once the problem is over. When sick, we pray diligently. After recovery, we return to our old ways. When seeking employment, we earnestly seek God. After getting the job, we begin to forget Him. When facing family problems, we turn to God. After things improve, our spiritual life becomes secondary. Yet experiencing God’s help should not make us more self-centered. Instead, we are called to serve.

Serving does not always mean standing on a platform. Serving can mean being a faithful husband or wife, a responsible parent, helping others, strengthening the weak, doing honest work, using our skills to bless others, and witnessing for Christ in the workplace. The important question is not only, “What has God given me?” but also, “What can I do with what God has given me?” Matthew later records that many people came to Jesus and were healed. This shows that Jesus’ ministry did not stop at one house. His power and compassion reached many people.

Those of us who have experienced God’s grace are also called to be channels of grace to others. Don’t let the blessing stop with you. If God gives you strength, use that strength to serve. If God gives you knowledge, use that knowledge to build others. If God gives you resources, use those resources to bless. If God gives you experience, use your experience to strengthen those who are struggling. If God restores you, don’t forget those still healing. We are not called merely to be recipients of blessings, but to be grateful servants. Every morning we wake up is a new opportunity to serve the Lord. Each day God gives is an opportunity to show that His grace is not wasted in our lives.