Marketplace Mission Trip Week - Day 4: SERVE OTHERS
Our 4th daily activity is to Serve Others. This may be the most difficult activity. Check below for new ideas. What kinds of ideas come to mind?
Verses
"Calling them to Himself, Jesus said to them, 'You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great men exercise authority over them. But it is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.'" (Mark 10:42-45)
"But Jesus said to them, 'They do not need to go away; you give them something to eat!'" (Matthew 14:16)
Thoughts
As we go through our day, it is easy to focus on our own tasks and to-dos. But we only see what’s right in front of us, too. Instead, to serve others, let’s ask God to show us what he wants us to do.
As we do our jobs, we want to meet or exceed our own expectations and the expectations of others. We pursue success, and may think we've caught it. But does success mean we get our work done so we can do what we want?
Jesus defines success differently. He asks us to sacrifice our lives to him (Romans 12:1-2) and take up our cross daily (Luke 9:23-24). How can we be a slave of all (Mark 10:44)? How can we change our perspective and serve others today? How can we put ourselves in a position to represent Jesus as his agent in our workplaces?
In Matthew 14, the disciples asked Jesus what they should do about 5000 hungry people when they had no food. Jesus told them, “You give them something to eat” (Matthew 14:16). They must have thought he was crazy! They couldn’t imagine how they could feed 5000 people with 5 loaves and 2 fish. Jesus gives them a challenge that applies to us in our workplaces today. We can serve others by serving food or laying down our rights so others might succeed. Even when we think we have nothing, we can give others something if we get that “something” from Jesus!
Ideas for Action
As we mentioned previously, you most enjoy being with people who enjoy being with you. Who do you miss? Reach out to them today and tell them, but also, think of new people too. Send a few more emails or text messages today. Tell people you haven’t seen in a while that you thought of them, you’re praying for them and you miss them. And ask a couple of questions too.
Whoever pops to mind, figure out a way to get to know them better. They could be your friends forever. God loves them. So, rather than judge people today, ask God to guide you as you learn more and look for ways to serve and enjoy others.
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Prayer
Lord, please show me how to serve others. Give me a unique idea for how to bless someone. And please encourage and energize me to go above and beyond my own job to help others know you. May I represent you and your kingdom today, regardless of my own limitations.
Going Deeper
Today, ask God for another name. Get to work early or stay late and pray for them for 15 minutes. Ask God to give you questions for future conversations. Do you know the names of their family members? What else would you like to know and appreciate about them? Invest an unhurried 15 minutes just asking God to talk to you about this person (if you begin to judge them, the voice you hear probably isn’t God). Ask God to show you what he loves about that person. Invest 15 minutes asking God to give you an appreciation for someone new today. Then comment below and let us know you completed the task. Yes, really! We’re praying for you.
Daily reminders
These items are reminders for this week and beyond. You already know this stuff, but we feel better repeating it anyway.
Please avoid sharing about this mission “trip” on social media. We don’t want our friends and coworkers to feel like an experiment. Please limit your sharing to close personal friends who will pray for you.
Even when you ask a friend to pray, don’t share other’s names or circumstances. Protect their privacy. If you ask someone to pray for you as you pray for your friends and coworkers, provide only general information. No one else needs the details .
In everything, put others ahead of yourself. Give your life away (Matthew 16:25).
Don’t quit! If you miss one day, don’t sweat it! Just grab the next one. God’s grace is sufficient. He will use you!
Please pray. Prayer makes all the difference. We have been and will continue praying for you. We’re excited to see Jesus work through you in the lives of your friends.
REMINDER - Each evening Monday - Thursday (Sept 28 - Oct 1) we will be having Mission Trip video calls via Zoom at 7:00 pm central time to gatherings and enjoy the fellowship and testimonies from others on the trip. To receive details on the Zoom calls register at https://www.divinepurposeofwork.com/marketplace-mission-trip-2026-form
Join The Discussion (Comment Below)
When you were reading and praying today, what came to mind? What are some ways you can serve others? When you get out of your comfort zone and serve someone, they become curious. Please share your thoughts about today's lesson and any ideas you might have that could help others.
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