Servanthood is for all
What do we
think of when we think of someone who is
a servant? Most likely, (though we won't
admit it) we think of someone who is of
a lower social class, needing some form
of employment desperately, someone of
low self-esteem and possibly of low
intelligence. Why do we think like this?
Service is in
our vocabulary and mindset, a dirty
word. It smacks of subjegation, low
earnings, lack of prestige and a
vocation for the weak. How wrong these
perceptions are! These are worldly
perceptions of a noble attribute, for
service or servanthood are paramount in
the teachings of Christ.
Christ Himself
came as a Servant of His Father. He
served even to the point of death!
Service to the LORD was not an
occupation He undertook to fill in His
spare time, or a vocation because He
couldn't find a better form of
employment. Christ certainly didn't lack
intelligence, breeding or self-esteem!
Such was the
emphasis on faithful service that Jesus
says:" And He sat down and called the
twelve (who had been disputing who
amongst them was the greatest Mark 9:34)
and saith unto them, "If any man desire
to be first, the same shall be last of
all and servant of all." Mark 9:35
Servanthood we
see then, is not any of these worldly
perceptions: service is godly. And
servanthood is clearly not something to
be looked down upon as a vocation for
the inferior of our species! It is
Christianity at its finest! For those
who serve are held in high esteem! John
12:26 "If any man serve Me, let him
follow Me and where I am there shall
also My servant be: If any man serve Me
him will My Father honour."
So where does
it leave us- the wife and mother? It
leaves us in a wonderful area to serve
and show faithfulness and love. In our
marriage, our mothering of our children,
our keeping of the home. Service is not
the world's ideal- but it is God's. We
have to set our mindset on that which
Jesus Himself considers holy- for He
took on the role of Servant even to
humbling Himself and dying on a cross.
Voluntary
servanthood is an act of love in its
simplest form. It is dying to self and
living for Christ. It is for all of us
who wish to serve God to change our
mindset of "What about me?" to "What
about Him?" How can we serve God better?
By taking on the form of a servant. To
our family first, then to the world. In
changing our perception of servanthood,
we will enter into the beauty of
Christian service and love: but it needs
us to change first.
It isn't an
easy thing, to change our mindset on
servanthood and I feel that Peter in
John 13:6-17 held onto the belief that
servanthood was just for the lowly. That
is why he baulked at having his feet
washed by Jesus just prior to His trial
and crucifixion. He just couldn't see
that Jesus should lower Himself to do
such a menial task as wash his feet! And
to accept service from a servant would
mean that Peter himself accepted that
Christ was his servant! This was so
foreign a concept to Peter that Jesus
had to tell him that if he didn't wash
his feet, he would have no part in Him!
Telling
ourselves that we will never serve
others or are better than a servant not
only goes against the teaching of the
Servant of God- Jesus, but also denies
us the opportunity to extend God's
Kingdom on earth! Let's develop a
Christ-like attitude to service as
servants of the Most High God!
© Glenys Robyn
Hicks
