10 “Everyday” Ways to Serve Others

While going through the day’s mail, I didn’t notice anything exciting at first—just another promotional offer from a bank, some catalogs I never requested, and an envelope packed with coupons I also wasn’t interested in. But then I noticed a pale blue envelope at the bottom of the stack. It was a card from a friend at church.

I opened the card and read it. My friend knew about some challenges I had been facing, and had written a note to show her support. As I read her words—I’d be happy to help you in any way I can, whether that’s housework, meal prep, or running errands . . . you name it—I was reminded of this verse: “Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4).

My friend’s note took away some of the angst I had been feeling. I sure appreciated her offer to help. It also got me thinking about the whole concept of service.

Service is a theme woven throughout the Bible. Besides Philippians 2:4, there’s 1 Peter 4:10 which reads, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others” (New International Version). The last part of Galatians 5:13 (NIV) instructs us to “Serve one another humbly in love.” It is through service that we live out the commandment to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31). These are just a few of the many verses that could be cited. 

We might define serving as the act of providing help or support to others, while expecting nothing in return. Ultimately, it is a matter of getting our focus off ourselves, and prioritizing the needs, desires and wishes of those around us. The passages above link serving to love, humility and selflessness. 

When we serve other people, ultimately we are serving God. Matthew 25:40 declares, “Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to [served] one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” Of course, God doesn’t need the service. But when we are others-oriented, that definitely pleases and honors Him because we are following His instruction. We are showing God that we, too, see the value in helping people. 

Exactly how should we be providing this service? What might immediately come to mind is to sign up for structured service projects at the church we attend or by volunteering for a nonprofit organization in our community. Those are certainly excellent venues for serving. But they’re not the only ways.

There are also plenty of “everyday” or non-structured ways we might be able to serve. The truth is, even if you’re helping out at a local soup kitchen a couple times a month or have weekly responsibilities at church, you should find ways to serve at other times too—which will help make serving an integral part of who you are. The more we serve, the more it becomes an ingrained part of our thinking. Here are 10 ideas to get you started: 

1. Provide practical assistance.

One of the best ways to serve was noted in the introduction. Be on the lookout for people who could use some help with routine tasks. For instance, if you know someone who just had a baby or had surgery, offer to bring over a home-cooked meal. If you’ve got a friend or neighbor with cancer, offer to take him or her do doctor appointments or radiation treatments. Or, offer to babysit now and then for couples at church so they can have some relaxing nights out. Assisting in these ways can go a long way in easing someone else’s load.

2. Give generously of your resources.

Serve others with what God has blessed you with, whether that’s your income or other physical assets. Proverbs 3:9 says: “Honor the LORD with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase.” Being generous honors God, in addition to helping the recipients. I can think of many people who are excellent examples of this. They’ll share produce from their gardens, buy unexpected gifts for those in need, regularly take people to dinner, make gift baskets for home-bound individuals, contribute funds to those in need financially, and on and on. Obviously God doesn’t expect us to give away everything that we own. But if we’re truly service-oriented, we’ll use at least some of what we have to be a blessing to other people. 

3. Share your talents.

Everyone has skills, abilities and God-given talents. These, too, can be used to help and build up others. You might perform specific tasks for people: If you’re experienced in doing auto or home repairs, you could donate your skills to elderly neighbors or low-income families. If you’re good at math or science, you could tutor students you know who are struggling with these classes. 

You might also offer to teach others whatever it is you are skilled at. I have regularly had women over to my home for lessons in soap-making, canning and pastry-making—things I’ve done a lot of over the years. I’ve also done proofreading and editing for students when they were writing school papers. I also know people who work in information technology who offer informal computer skills classes, for free, to those who need it. This is exactly what 1 Peter 4:10 (NIV) instructs us to do: “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” 

4. Practice biblical hospitality. 

Romans 12:13 encourages us to show or practice hospitality. This is another excellent way to serve. Now you may already be having your friends over fairly regularly, but to be true hospitality, include more than just your usual social circle. The Greek word used for hospitality in many Bible passages is philoxenia which means “love of strangers.” Biblical hospitality in its truest sense is the generous and loving reception of guests, strangers and those in need. Aim to also invite people over who might be lonely, who perhaps aren’t naturally “social butterflies,” or those who may not be able to reciprocate (such as an older bachelor or a college student who lives alone in a small apartment). 

If you’re on a tight household budget or lead a busy lifestyle, don’t let that deter you from offering hospitality. To save on time and costs, host a potluck-style meal in your home. Or, rather than hosting a full dinner, have people over for dessert and coffee, or a game night with snacks. You might also pick up ready-to-serve foods from the grocery store, to save time on food preparation. Your guests won’t mind that everything you serve isn’t homemade. What matters most is that you make them feel welcome.

5. Visit the most vulnerable.

Some of the people who most need the social contact may not be able to get over to your home, such as elderly shut-ins who don’t drive or those who are suffering from serious health problems. Another excellent service opportunity would be to call such individuals and arrange in-home visits with them. You can probably think of people who are lonely or feel overlooked and could use some people contact. I knew one woman who for years, devoted one lunch break every work week to deliver a picnic-style lunch and share it with a different home-bound individual from her church. This is basically what James 1:27 is urging us to do when it says to “visit orphans and widows in their trouble.”

6. Pick up the phone and call someone.

The telephone can also be an effective service tool. Those you know who might be feeling down or discouraged, or are isolated and not able to get out much, may particularly appreciate phone calls every now and then from you. Now we might get into the thinking that talking on the phone is “not productive,” because after all, there are so many other things that need to be done. But try not to think that way. Talking on the phone can be a wonderful way to reach out to others, see how they’re doing, provide encouragement, and brighten their days. It doesn’t have to be a long chat. Even if you can only talk for 10-15 minutes, that can make another person feel loved and appreciated. 

7. Be a good listener.

Maybe you’ve been in conversations and you were letting someone talk, but you weren’t really hearing what the other person was saying. It’s easy to get in that habit. On the other hand, if you listen closely—giving the speaker your full attention, not letting yourself become distracted, not interrupting, and asking thoughtful questions to show you are following what’s being said—that is actually a way to serve. Whether you’re conversing with individuals who are going through trials or brainstorming with coworkers about work issues, being attentive shows that you value their perspectives and makes them feel supported. Even you’re just having casual chitchat with someone, listening closely gets your mind off yourself and conveys an interest in the other person.

8. Pray for others.

There are numerous purposes for prayer, but one of the biggest is to petition God for the needs of others. Think about individuals you know who are in need of particular breakthroughs in their lives, and ask God to intervene in their lives. Pray for those who are suffering through health crises and other trials, and tell them you are doing so. The Apostle John set an example of praying that the brethren would “prosper . . . and be in health” (3 John 1:2). James 5:16 instructs us to “Pray for one another, that you may be healed.” When other people know you’re praying for them, that can be very encouraging. And even if they don’t know, intercessory prayer is still a way to serve. 

9. Mail a card or letter.

Send a card to individuals who need encouragement, to tell them how much you admire or appreciate them. Or, mail off a card to someone you know who’s facing a health challenge or other trial to let him know you’re praying for him or offer practical help. Of course, you could also communicate this via electronic messages, but writing out a note on a blank card or sheet of paper, addressing the envelope and then dropping it off in the mail tells recipients that you are willing to put in the extra time and effort to reach out to them.

10. Be patient and courteous.

One other service opportunity is to be patient with those you come in contact with in your daily life. You might not think of this as a way to serve, but it really is, as it helps and supports other people. Seek to be courteous—even if you are stressed, frustrated or worn-out after a rough day. So, if the waiter or sales clerk is slow or makes mistakes, smile anyway. If you’re shopping in a crowded store, don’t tell another shopper “Excuse me!” in a tone of voice that says “Get out of my way!” If your kids have accidentally spilled their drinks, don’t snap at them for doing so.

I’ve been to numerous medical appointments recently when the staff was way behind on appointments—meaning over an hour wait for me—and several of the nurses told me that me being understanding took pressure off them. Being courteous is a way we can serve, every time we come in contact with another person, whether that’s someone we know or a stranger in a public venue (although it’s challenging to do, as it’s a lot easier to be grumpy than to practice self-control).

The above list is not intended to be exhaustive. There’s no end to the different ways we could serve in our daily lives. This list is just meant to get you thinking. The point is, anytime we are looking out for the interests of others, we are serving. We should always be tuned in to how we might be able to ease others’ burdens or make people happy. That is what serving is all about, and it’s definitely a way to honor and please God in our daily lives, as we’re instructed to do in 1 Corinthians 10:31.