Biblically, service and sacrifice are closely related. Both are qualities that Jesus perfectly lived out during His walk on earth, and they are key components of the Christian life. As followers of Jesus, we should seek to become more like Him and that includes practicing sacrificial service.

To begin, we should differentiate the terms. Service is an act of love or humility toward God or others. Most often, we think of service as a selfless act for another person or group. Sacrifice is deeply involved with service, but it’s about what we’re giving up: time, money or even personal desires. Simply put, sacrifice is the cost of service. For example, Jesus served the world through His sacrificial death on the cross. 

The greatest example of sacrificial service is Jesus’ work on the cross. Jesus, the Son of God, took on human form and came to earth. Fully God and fully man, He died on the cross and rose from the dead to pay the penalty for our sins. Jesus sacrificed His life, but He also gave up much more. The Bible says that He “emptied Himself.” Although divine, He chose the humble form of a servant, enduring many trials and heartaches for our sake.

Even before Jesus died on the cross, He set an example for the disciples on how to live. On the night before His crucifixion, in John 13:1-17, Jesus washed His disciples’ feet. Because people in first-century Israel usually wore sandals, their feet were the dirtiest part of their bodies. Washing feet was a task reserved for servants. So, to the disciples, it was a shock to see their Lord and Master humbling Himself to wash their feet. However, when He finished, Jesus used this as a lesson for the disciples.

Jesus’ example and command were a picture of service. His command isn’t for us to literally wash other Christians’ feet all the time, but rather to humble ourselves and serve one another. He calls us to live a humble, self-sacrificial lifestyle. We should serve others, especially our brothers and sisters in Christ.

As we serve, it’s important to check our heart posture and consider what we’re giving. God doesn’t want us to serve with gritted teeth or grumbling. In fact, 2 Corinthians 9:7 says, “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” Now, this verse is specifically about financial offerings, but its principle applies to all forms of sacrifice or giving. God isn’t pleased with reluctant or resentful service.

Furthermore, if we do not practice sacrificing our desires or stepping out of our comfort zone, we shy away from true fulfillment in service. Sometimes we need to give up more than time or money. We need to sacrifice what’s difficult to let go of: our desires or comfort. Pointing back to Jesus, He constantly sacrificed His needs or wants. There were many times that crowds interrupted His time in prayer, but He still served them. There were many times when He faced persecution or hardships, even to the point of dying painfully, yet He still sacrificed.

I believe this is important, so I’ll give another example. I love serving in my church. When I do, I’m sacrificing my time, but I’m not normally sacrificing my desires because I want to be there. Would things change if I wanted to be somewhere else? The real test of sacrifice is whether we are willing to give up our comfort, desires or even our needs. 

When your friend needs company, but you’ve had a long day, will you support them? Will you help your loved one move out even when you have an exam coming up? What about serving the person you don’t like very much? In these cases, it’s much harder to serve joyfully, but God calls us to sacrifice out of love, humility and joy.

It’s important to take care of ourselves. If we don’t, we neglect the bodies that God gave us, and we won’t be able to serve others to the fullest. It’s normal to feel the pressure of balancing self-care with loving others well. Here are some simple ways to keep your bucket full, so you can keep showing up for others:

• Schedule time for you and God alone. Have a dedicated time to be with God and don’t let anything interrupt it. Turn your phone off while you meet with Him.
• Take care of your basic needs. College students often struggle with things like eating, drinking water and sleeping. It’s important to give these areas adequate attention. If you need to, find an accountability partner who can help you with this.
• Learn how to ask for help. The people around you would likely love to serve you. When you need a helping hand or a shoulder to lean on, don’t be afraid to reach out.
• Invite others in. Sometimes, what we need is exactly what another person needs. We can invite people into activities we normally do and share in the blessing together. For example, if you regularly go on walks, that’s a great time to invite a friend who needs some extra love.
• Consider your weakness. People tend to either focus on themselves or serve to the point of burnout. It’s important to know which side of the scale you land on. Honestly evaluate your situation and consider how you can work on it.