When I attended the University of Tennessee many years ago a part of the required curriculum my sophomore year was two PE courses. There were many options available which met the requirement including bowling, archery, badminton (that’s right – badminton), flag football, beginning golf, tennis, and a host of others. I had never played tennis, so I decided to give it a try. My biggest surprise, when first introduced to tennis, was the weight of the ball when the racket made contact with it. It required a quick adjustment on my part.
I was an eager student and followed the instructions of my teacher to the letter. In a few weeks, I developed a good forehand and a reasonable backhand. But as the 12 weeks sped by, it became obvious I needed to improve on my serve.
Many years later I ran into a book by author Charles W. Swindall titled, “Improving Your Serve.” Of course, the title was borrowed from the tennis term, but Dr. Swindall had another kind of serve in mind. He was speaking of our service to mankind (“humankind” in the name of political correctness.)
Let’s be honest, we could all improve on our service.
We as human beings have a terrible tendency to get things backwards. In most cases we would much prefer be the served rather than the server.
As one of my late friends use to say, “Everybody is looking for that ‘front’ seat!” Or, as the Oak Ridge Boys once sang, “Nobody wants to play rhythm guitar behind Jesus. Everybody wants to be the leader of the band.”
Jesus said it this way, “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave to all. For even the Son of man did not come to be served but to serve, and give his life as a ransom for many.”
There is a great release when we take ourselves out of the equation and focus our attention on others.
Theologian, organist, philosopher, physician, and medical missionary to Africa, Albert Schweitzer put it this way, “I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who will have sought and found how to serve.”
You have probably heard this story about a little girl named Suzy. It was her birthday, and her family and friends had gone all out to make her day a special one. The birthday party was filled with laughter and food and fun and games; and everyone was having a grand time. Suddenly, someone shouted “Suzy, open your presents!” Then, all those attending began to chant, “Open your presents! Open your presents!”
Suzy seemed taken by surprise, and seemed a bit embarrassed as she replied, “I was having so much fun serving my guests, I forgot I was here!”
There is a self-forgetfulness in truly serving others.
Often times I think we look for great ways to be of service and impact the lives of others, and overlook opportunities which present themselves daily – little things (or so they seem) - a cup of water, food for the hungry, visits to the lonely and forgotten, a kind word of encouragement, money for the man or woman standing on the side of the road holding a dirty cardboard sign. There is a note of caution in these words: “Inasmuch as you did it not to one of the least of these, you did it not to me.”
We could all improve our serve. Best we be about the Masters business.
There is an old gospel song which goes, “Work for the night is coming.” John, the apostle recorded, “The night cometh when no man can work.”
Someone else said it this way: “Do what you can, where you can, while you can.” Just maybe, our desire to serve should have a bit more sense of urgency about it.
I like what the Ghost of Christmas Present told Ebenezer Scrooge: “There is never enough time to do all the things that we would wish. The thing is to do as much as you can in the time you have left. For one day you wake up, and you’re not there anymore!”
Copyright 2026 by Jack McCall
