The "S" Word

There's a word that is dirty and perhaps even despised in this world. It is looked down upon in a world of education and modernity. It is disgusting to cultured and civilized individuals.

That word is "servant". There I said it! Or here's an even more repugnant word, "slave".

The Bible records that a dispute arose among the disciples as to whom was the greatest. Then, "Calling them to Himself, Jesus said to them, "You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great men exercise authority over them.
"But it is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant;
and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all.
"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

The Holy Spirit reminded me of the above passage this week as I was implicitly challenged to live like a servant because of certain circumstances. However, I usually want to be recognized as the greatest in some realm of life. I sometimes struggle to want to be the most knowledgeable, the best dressed, the most popular, or the best cook. I want to be the one to share the best piece of wisdom in Bible Study. I want to be the one to hog all the time of the new believer so I can get the credit for her growth in Christ. I want to be the one praised as having the best servant's heart, while not taking any of the real servant hardships upon my shoulders. Perhaps we are not as obvious as the disciples in our desires to be great. Unlike the disciples, we might not openly argue about who is the greatest, but we still dream and scheme in our heads to plan crafty ways of becoming great while still appearing to be humble on the outside. But instead to be really "great" I am to be a servant and even a slave to all (not just to the handful of people I call my good friends). Jesus himself was our example. He didn't tell us to be servants and then lord it over us. Instead he first was a servant and then told us to follow after him.

So what does being a servant or slave look like? Honestly, I'm still working it out in my life. I think it could possibly include being a person of no reputation: to do the things that are consider too low by others. Being a servant is to do the things that no one else wants to because those duties will always go unnoticed and unappreciated by people. Maybe this includes picking up after messy people, cleaning toilets, or ministering to the elderly. This would mean giving of yourself to get nothing in return. It also means to befriend those whom no one else will befriend; the socially awkward person, the smelly person, or the overly obnoxious person. A servant might gladly listen to these people for hours and never expect the favor to be returned. In addition, a servant might engage in spiritual activities, such as leading a Bible study, praying for others, or disciplining someone, simply because they love God and not because they want man's praise on Sunday. Most days I stink at being a servant, but I'm still learning.

Most importantly though, at the end of the day when the servant has continually submitted and sacrificed himself for the good of the body and worship of the Lord, one thing is true- they have only done their duty.



"So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty." -Luke 17:10