“But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among
you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves.
For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it
not the one who is at the table?
But I am among you
as one who serves.”
Luke 22:26-27
What a long lost concept servant hood
is.
Sure, we have an entire industry
called the ‘service industry’ but that is not what I am talking about. Listen
to this description of a servant from Philippians 2:5-8
“Your attitude should be the same as
that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very
nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!”
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself
and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!”
That is being a servant who is willing
to lay down their life for others.
Even when those ‘others’ express no
thanks or gratitude for what you have done.
Can you be that kind of servant?
Sure, with that question we all
mentally inventory our ministry service.
We think that perhaps our years of
faithful service in the nursery must count for something.
But let’s be very honest here.
Much of what we do in ministry has
its’ rewards.
To be entrusted by God to do great
things in His Kingdom you will be tested specifically in service to those who
can give nothing back or who choose to give nothing back in return.
In other words the motivation of your
service will be tested.
Don’t misunderstand. I am not
denigrating anyone’s service in ministry including those faithful in the church
nursery.
But there will come a time demands
you serve the ungrateful, the uncooperative and perhaps the openly hostile.
If you doubt that go back and check
out Jesus’ last day or two before the cross.
Neither He nor His Father cancelled
the cross because public opinion was not with them.
He was a servant.
We will face the servant test so beyond
our concept of service that it will be apparent Gods’ grace must be poured out
on us to succeed.
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