Throughout most of my life, I thought I knew what it meant to serve. I believed serving was about doing things for others, helping when needed, volunteering my time, and occasionally going out of my way for someone else. But over time, through my experiences and time at Grace, I learned that service is not just an action, it’s a posture of the heart and, most importantly, a way of valuing people.
At first, I measured success by personal achievements—completing projects, receiving recognition, and checking things off my list. But then, I heard a quote from John Maxwell: “Success is when I add value to myself. Significance is when I add value to others.” That perspective reshaped my understanding of success. I began to see that real achievement isn’t about what I accomplish but about the impact I have on those around me. The more I served, the clearer this truth became.
Learning to Value People Over Accomplishments
One of the first lessons I gained through serving was that people matter more than plans. In the past, I approached leadership with a results-driven mindset, focused on getting things done. My usual method involved arriving with a structured plan, assigning roles, and pushing forward to accomplish goals. Then, I noticed something. The most fulfilling moments weren’t when I completed a project but when I connected with someone, helped them through a challenge, or made a meaningful impact in their life. Over time, I realized that when I collaborated with others, our combined ideas often led to even better solutions.
John Maxwell puts it this way: “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” That truth became real to me when I started focusing less on checking boxes and more on listening to people. Instead of assuming I knew what others needed, I began asking. Instead of rushing through tasks, I slowed down to make sure people felt valued. I realized that service isn’t just about doing things for people, it’s about being there for them.
Serving Others Taught Me to Build Relationships
One of the most powerful aspects of serving at Grace has been the relationships I built. I’ve discovered that service isn’t a solo act, it’s something done in community. Whether it’s been working alongside faculty, supporting students, or collaborating on a project, I learned that relationships are at the heart of meaningful service.
I remember a time when a friend of mine was struggling with their faith. They didn’t need a lecture or a perfectly crafted response, they needed someone to listen, to walk alongside them, to remind them they weren’t alone. That experience reinforced that serving is not about fixing people; it’s about showing up for them.
John Maxwell emphasizes this in his leadership teachings: “To lead yourself, use your head. To lead others, use your heart.” The relationships I formed through serving taught me to lead with my heart, to genuinely invest in people, and to care about them beyond what they could contribute.
Serving Helped Me Equip Others
One of the biggest shifts in my mindset came when I realized that serving wasn’t just about doing things for others, it was about empowering them to grow. At Grace, I had opportunities to mentor, encourage, and equip people to step into their own leadership potential.
Ephesians 4:11-12 says, “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.” That verse became a guiding principle for me. Instead of focusing on what I could accomplish, I started asking, How can I help others succeed?
John Maxwell states, “A leader is great, not because of his or her power, but because of his or her ability to empower others.” This truth became clear when I saw how equipping others multiplied the impact of service. When I took the time to encourage someone, teach a skill, or simply believe in their potential, I watched them step into leadership themselves.
Serving Others Helped Me Develop a Good Attitude
Attitude plays a crucial role in serving. There were days when serving felt inconvenient, when I was tired, busy, or distracted by my own problems. But one of the greatest lessons I learned was that true service is not about convenience, it’s about commitment.
John Maxwell says, “People may hear your words, but they feel your attitude.” I started to realize that the way I served, whether with joy, patience, or frustration, impacted those around me. If I served reluctantly, people noticed. If I served with a genuine heart, people felt it.
Through serving, I learned to shift my perspective. Instead of seeing service as an obligation, I began to see it as an opportunity. I started looking for ways to serve, rather than waiting to be asked. The more I did this, the more I experienced the joy that comes from serving with the right attitude.
Serving Others Helped Me Develop Leaders
One of the most unexpected blessings of serving at Grace is seeing people step into leadership because of the support and encouragement they received. Leadership isn’t about authority, it’s about influence. And I learned that one of the best ways to develop leaders is through serving them first.
John Maxwell explains this well: “The best leaders are servant leaders. They add value to others.” When I shifted my focus from leading to serving, I saw others step up in incredible ways. I saw students who once lacked confidence take on leadership roles. I watched friends grow in their faith and begin mentoring others. I realized that leadership isn’t about standing in front, it’s about lifting others up.
Perhaps the greatest lesson I have learned from serving at Grace Christian University is that fulfillment doesn’t come from personal achievements; it comes from investing in others. I used to think success would make me happy, but I found that true joy comes from making a difference in someone else’s life.
John Maxwell puts it perfectly: “The more you serve others, the more joy you will feel.” The times I felt most alive weren’t when I was recognized for something I did, they were when I saw the impact of service in someone else’s life.
I’ll never forget a moment when a student I had been mentoring told me how much my encouragement had helped them through a difficult season. It wasn’t anything dramatic, I hadn’t given them some profound wisdom or solved their problems. I had simply been there. And yet, that simple act of serving had made a lasting impact.
Serving Others Shaped My Faith
Through serving, I grew not just as a person, but in my faith. Jesus is the ultimate model of a servant leader. In John 13, He washed His disciples’ feet and then said, “I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.”
Serving at Grace has helped me understand that following Christ means serving others. It’s about laying down personal ambition to lift others up. It’s about choosing humility over recognition, people over projects, and faithfulness over self-interest.
John Maxwell says, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” That principle isn’t just a nice saying, it’s a way of life. Serving others has shaped me in ways I never expected, and I know it’s something I will carry with me for the rest of my life.
The Lifelong Impact of Serving
Looking back, I can say with certainty that serving others has been one of the most transformative experiences of my life. It has taught me patience, humility, and the value of putting others first. It has helped me build relationships, equip people, maintain a positive attitude, and develop leaders.
At Grace Christian University, I learned that service isn’t just something we do, it’s who we are called to be. And while my journey of serving is far from over, I know one thing for sure: when we choose to serve, we choose to make a difference.
John Maxwell once said, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others?” That’s a question I ask myself daily, because at the end of the day, our greatest legacy is not what we accomplish for ourselves, but what we do for others.
