Why I Serve (and Why I Didn’t Grow a Beard and Buy an RV)
Opening Confession: I Thought About It
I’ll be honest.
I’ve had moments where I thought about just growing a beard, buying an RV, and heading to Colorado.
You know the fantasy — woodsy Instagram vibes, mountain air, beard oil sponsorships, and captions like “finding myself.”
But then God whispered something that hit me like a snowball to the soul:
John, I didn’t call you to grow a beard. I called you to grow in boldness.
And let’s be real — some of us have confused retreat with restoration.
We want to escape the noise, but God says, “I’m not done making noise through you.”
God Doesn’t Need My Service—But I Do
Here’s the deal: God doesn’t need my help to keep the universe spinning.
He’s not pacing Heaven saying, “I really hope John shows up for setup team today or this whole salvation thing collapses.”
But serving shapes me.
It reminds me that faith isn’t proven by what I feel on Sunday—it’s shown by what I do on Monday.
Serving doesn’t make God love me more. It makes me more like Him.
If Jesus could wash feet, I can stack chairs—and without posting it on Instagram.
Love Isn’t a Feeling, It’s a Verb
People ask, “Why do you serve?”
Because Jesus didn’t say, ‘Like your neighbor.’
He said, ‘Love your neighbor.’
And love is not a Hallmark card emotion—it’s a holy inconvenience.
Loving someone means showing up when they can’t give you anything back.
It’s pouring coffee for the latecomer.
It’s smiling at the person who gives you side-eye during worship.
It’s forgiving someone who hasn’t even realized they hurt you.
If love was easy, Jesus wouldn’t have had to command it.
Giving Isn’t About Heritage—It Is My Heritage
Let me get real: I give to Heritage (our vision, our mission, our church family) because it’s not just what we do—it’s who we are.
Generosity is in our DNA because we follow a God who gave everything.
I’m not giving because I’m guilted into it.
I’m giving because I’ve been graced into it.
When you’ve been loved by God, stinginess just doesn’t fit anymore.
If your faith costs you nothing, it might not be faith—it might just be a hobby.
Serving Others Defines Me More Than Their Deserving
I don’t serve because people deserve it.
Let’s be honest—half the time, none of us do.
But I serve because it defines me.
When I serve, I’m reminding my soul:
You’re not here to be noticed; you’re here to be faithful.
And every time I pick up a towel, God picks up a chisel—shaping me, smoothing my rough edges, sanding down my pride.
If you’re too big to serve, you’re too small to lead.
The Beard Isn’t the Boldness
Some guys grow beards to look rugged.
I get it—it’s biblical lumberjack energy.
But God wasn’t trying to give me a look; He was trying to give me a life.
He told me to grow in boldness, not beard-ness.
To build people, not cabins.
To chop down pride, not pine trees.
God didn’t call me to build a cabin in Colorado; He called me to build His kingdom right here.
My Why
I serve because Jesus served.
I give because Jesus gave.
I love because He first loved me.
And when I’m tired, when I wonder if anyone notices, when I fantasize about disappearing into the mountains…
I remember — the cross wasn’t comfortable either.
So, I’ll stay right here.
In the middle of ministry.
In the middle of people who sometimes drive me crazy and other times make me cry with gratitude.
Because this — this messy, miraculous, mundane act of service — is what defines me.
I serve not because they’re worth it, but because He is.
The Best Is Yet to Come,
Rev. John Roberts
Good presentation of the importance of serving.