Serving others is what I do for a living it provides income for my wife and family and a retirement when I am ready. My profession of being a fire fighter for twenty three years has had its good days and not so good days. My job is to be a public servant to the citizens of our city. Every day when I report to work for my twenty four hour shift I like to start it off with a cup of coffee and a little relaxation time talking with the guys. But this relaxed environment sometimes don't last very long when the alarm sounds and I have to put my want and needs aside and become a servant to someone that needs help.

Being a servant to others is not always an easy job. That is why I cannot let anything that quickly changes my circumstances take away the joy that I have in my life. This applies to me no matter if I am at work serving the public or at home serving with my wife and family.

The only way to have and keep joy in my life is to have Jesus in my heart. Without his Joy, love and concern for me I would be lost and defiled. Jesus speaks about a well done job of a good and faithful servant in Mathew 25:21. Jesus also speaks about the joy of the lord. This verse tells me if I am a good and faithful servant that my joy will be fulfilled here on earth. This verse also implies that my joy will be fulfilled by going to heaven when he comes back or when I die.

Finding joy in our life is what we are all looking for. Finding joy is compared to the story that continues in Mathew chapter 25:44-46. Jesus explains joy as finding something of great value and then doing something that will cost you everything you have to obtain that possession.

Jesus loved us so much that he gave all he had to buy our joy. Jesus paid for our joy with his blood. In Matthew 27:6 the priests were discussing what to do with the thirty pieces of silver. They knew the silver could not be put into the treasury because this was blood money. So the priest bought a field to bury strangers in and that field has been called the field of blood unto this day.

To serve with joy we must remember we were bought with a price. In 1 Corinthians 6:20 we are told to glorify God in our bodies because we are bought with a price. To glorify God we must serve with joy and humble ourselves to become servants to others so God will be glorified and not ourselves. In James chapter 4:6 the bible tells us if we are humble we will find grace in God. But if we are prideful God will refuse us.

To be a good servant you must share a common purpose with God in mind. In Philippians Chapter 2:2 the bible tells us to be in joy being likeminded. So if I am being a good servant I will be happy and that makes God happy and that gives me and God a common purpose.

To be a good servant we must consider others and not be self centered. In Philippians 2:3 the bible is tell us to help others without an attitude or to look for recognition for your help.

To be a good servant we need to be considerate of the needs of others. In Philippians 2:4 the bible tell us not to be all about me. But look to consider others.

To be a good servant I must be aware of others around me to help those who may be struggling.

To be a good servant I must be a good listener to show how much I care.

To be a good servant I must also listen to my eyes, ears, and my heart.

To be a good servant I must have a good attitude.

These are examples of a good servant

Selflessness

Humility

Obedience

These are followed by Exaltation by doing the will of God.