Serving From Overflow or Obligation?

Some people live to serve others passionately. You can see it in the way they move, the way they love, the way they show up. They serve out of the overflow of the love of Christ in their hearts. And because the love is real, their service is real. Their lives preach a quiet sermon—#LovingOneAnotherWell.

But others… others serve reluctantly and minimally.
You can tell.
It’s half-hearted. Heavy. Mechanical.
And often, it’s rooted not in love but in guilt, obligation, or the quiet craving for attention.

And church, the difference between the two is night and day.

Jesus spoke directly to this in Matthew 6.
“When you give… when you serve… when you pray… do it in secret, and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.”

He didn’t just tell us what to do.
He told us how to do it—from a heart that wants God, not applause.

There is a kind of servant that is a joy to stand beside.
They walk into a room and something in the atmosphere lifts.
They don’t drain you; they fill you.
They don’t make serving heavier; they make it lighter.
Their presence pulls people in—“Come serve with me!”—because they carry joy that’s contagious.

And then there’s the other kind.
The one who counts minutes.
And acknowledgements.
And fairness.
And who’s watching.
And whether someone said thank you.
Their service costs everyone around them.
They leave people empty… and sometimes wounded.

And Jesus says plainly:
One is leveraged for the Kingdom eternally.
The other… already has their reward.

God sees it all.
Not just the work of your hands, but the posture of your heart.

So let me ask you the question Jesus pushes us toward.

Which one are you?

Are you serving from overflow—or obligation?
From love—or from guilt?
For Kingdom impact—or for earthly acknowledgement?

The beauty of the gospel is this:
You don’t have to manufacture joy.
You don’t have to pretend.
You don’t have to push yourself into a version of serving that feels fake.

You can ask the Holy Spirit to fill you again.
To restore love.
To purify motives.
To make your service worship.

Because when service comes from worship, even the smallest task becomes holy.