It Matters Why We Serve
by Major
Curtiss Hartley
I’d like to propose a change to the long-held perception about
the “S” worn on the Salvationists uniform. Though I’ve heard a
couple of variations, the one most often is “Saved to Serve.”
Perhaps we could flip the script on that one; what if we saw
it as “Serving to Save?”
Now, before the clamor of, “We don’t do
the saving! That’s what Jesus does,” please allow me a bit of
latitude as I define for you how I see the difference.
Does anyone remember the classic poster
from the early days of The Salvation Army with the title
“Salvation Army Social Campaign?” It depicts the farm colony
and all the many services offered by Salvationists to help
struggling people. At the bottom of the poster is a scene
reminiscent of Michelangelo’s “The Last Judgement.” But in
Booth’s vision uniformed Salvationists are seen pulling the
throngs from the raging sea and offering them safety from
certain death by drowning in life’s tragedies. Centered in the
background is a lighthouse with the words: “Hope for all.”
It seems right to put our salvation
first in that motto, doesn’t it? After all, it’s why we do
what we do. Yet I wonder if in placing the serving part
second, we subconsciously view our work as Salvationists as
being to just serve suffering humanity, offering food,
shelter, clothing, rehabilitation, counseling, and more. We’ve
become quite proficient at those things, I would say; quite
professional in our delivery of them.
After all, we’re saved to serve, aren’t
we? It’s what we do.
Does that not, however, unintentionally
skew our vision of our mission? of the purpose for which we
were made? If I’m to be a good Salvationist, I’m to put on the
uniform, march under the banner, and serve suffering humanity
without discrimination. That’s what the Bible calls us to.
We’re to be minsters of justice and mercy. We’re saved, and so
we serve others.
You see where I’m going with this,
don’t you! If instead we look at serving, so that we can save
others – from the troubles of this world, for sure – but to
offer them eternal salvation from sin separating them from
their maker, then don’t we fulfill a greater purpose? Isn’t
that what Jesus Christ called us to when he said, “Go and make
disciples?”
What if we served others, so that we
could share with them the great message of salvation: that
Jesus died to save them, and that He lives to lead them to
eternal salvation.
When you put on the uniform, or see
someone else with those “S”s on their lapels, I hope it
reminds you that you’re to serve others, not for justice, not
for statistics, not for moral integrity, but for the sake of
saving their souls.
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