Fueling Your Zeal By Serving

Ben Pickman tells the story in Sports Illustrated of Herb Turetzky who attended the New Jersey Americans’ first-ever ABA game in October 1967 expecting to be just a spectator.

Turetzky, a student at LIU Brooklyn, arrived early at the Teaneck Armory. Max Zaslofsky, the Americans’ coach and GM who had attended the same high school as Turetzky, greeted him as he walked in, “Herb, can you help us out and keep score of the game tonight?”

Turetzky responded, “Max, I’d love to. I’m here, so why not?”

Turetzky sat down at a wooden folding chair at half court and jotted down the lineups. 2200 games and 54 years later Heb was still serving as a scorekeeper. His journey and the team took him to three different cities, eight arenas, and, of course, the team was absorbed into the NBA. At the time of the interview Turetzky was still sitting in that wooden chair. “I’ve never left that seat since,” he says. “I’m still here and I’m still going.”

NBA official Bob Delaney called him, “the Michael Jordan of scorekeepers.” Turetsky, who passed away in 2022 simply said “yes” to an opportunity to help and it led to meaningful lifelong service.

Consider the multitude of requests that come our way throughout our lives to lend a helping hand. To fill a pressing need. To serve in our communities. To help someone in dire straits. A simple “yes” can change our lives.

People have discovered occupations, met future spouses, made new friends, and developed important skills by their willingness to serve.

In the Lord’s work, we need people with a heart of service. Preachers, pastors, deacons, and teachers can’t do it all. It takes everyone working together, sharing together and serving together to accomplish the greater good. It’s for this reason that Paul exhorted spiritual leaders to equip others for service in Ephesians 4:11-12.

“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.”

Too often we think of a spiritual minister in the church as the preacher. But the Bible teaches that every Christian is a minister. We can serve in so many different ways according to the gifts God has given us (Rom. 12:3-8). Think of the many ways you can serve.

• Encourage the weak.
• Care for the needy.
• Comfort the grieved.
• Visit elderly shut-ins.
• Greet the visitors.
• Support preachers.
• Provide for the sick.
• Share your faith.
• Go the second mile.
• Volunteer your time.
• Give to worthy causes
• Partner with prison ministries.
• Listen to the hurting.
• Donate food and clothing.
• Befriend the disenfranchised.
• Provide transportation.
• Run errands.
• Send cards or letters.
• Share your expertise.
• Minister to “the least of these.”

Serving not only benefits others and glorifies God, but we feel good when we do it. David Crocker writes in a blog post that “we are hard wired to serve.” He offers evidence from medical science that “volunteering contributes to better health.”

Serving has a positive upward spiral that leads to more serving. The more we serve the more we want to serve. Yes, you actually fuel your zeal for the Lord by serving. Paul connects this concept in Romans 12:11. “Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.”

Serving, however, if not motivated by love is empty as Paul penned in 1 Corinthians 13. Even spiritual gifts, mountain moving faith, and martyrdom is useless if not spurred by love for God and our fellow man. Thus, Paul exhorted in Galatians 5:13, “through love serve one another.”

Consider seriously these words by the 20th century entrepreneur and philanthropist Roger Babson. “If things are not going well with you, begin your effort at correcting the situation by carefully examining the service you are rendering, and especially the spirit in which you render it.”

–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman