As I mature in Christ, I come to realize how many things are easier in theory than in practice. For me, servanthood is near the top of the list.
That's why on this Tuesday of Holy Week, when Jesus presented teaching discourses on the end times, the resurrection, and other topics, I was gripped most by his words to the apostles about servanthood:
But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. (Mat 23:8-12 ESV)
Jesus would soon present this lesson vividly, first at their feet in the Upper Room, then on the cross. Yet on this day, He taught them verbally that positions of authority don't matter. True greatness comes from servanthood.
Servanthood is much easier when we are appreciated and loved for it. Yet, as someone once said to me, "The true test of servanthood is how you act when you are treated like one." My boss is wonderful, but I know that serving would be much more challenging if he treated me like a servant. That's why I am intrigued by an unexpected Scriptural example of servanthood.
This example comes not from the disciples, who were busy arguing about who was greatest (Luke 22:24-30). It comes not even from Jesus Himself, though His example of servanthood is supreme. Instead, it comes from a woman who found herself being used as a contrasting example to others in the room:
One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and took his place at the table. And behold, a woman of the city, who was a sinner, when she learned that he was reclining at table in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment.
Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner." And Jesus answering said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." And he answered, "Say it, Teacher." "A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?" Simon answered, "The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt." And he said to him, "You have judged rightly."
Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven--for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little." And he said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, "Who is this, who even forgives sins?" And he said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace." (Luk 7:36-50 ESV)
This woman did what Simon, and later the disciples (John 13), didn't do - she washed Jesus' feet. But her motivation was worship. She was enormously grateful to the One who dined with sinners, and she demonstrated that gratitude in worship at His feet - worship that included serving in a way others seemed to feel was beneath them.
Another woman is featured with an alabaster box, anointing Jesus' head - and interestingly, it may be the same one (compare Luke 7:40 and Matt. 26:6 with John 12:1-2):
Now when Jesus was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table. And when the disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, "Why this waste? For this could have been sold for a large sum and given to the poor." But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, "Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me. For you always have the poor with you, but you will not always have me. In pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial. Truly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her." (Mat 26:6-13 ESV)
Again, the focus is on worship. But Mary of Bethany serves Jesus by anointing Him for burial. And she is honored for doing so. She is the picture of greatness, on her knees before the Lord.
And so the lesson for me is that to improve my ability to serve, I can't focus on service. It's counterintuitive, but I will only be able to serve others if I get my eyes off them and onto Jesus. I will only be able to be treated like a servant if my goal is worship. I will only fail to be dissuaded by people if His glory is my heart's desire.
Those of you on the field are my examples in this. I see you laying down your lives over and over, not for the sake of service but for the cause of worship. And I am trying to learn to do the same.
This Holy Week, let's pray for each other that our service will flow from worship.
No comments:
Post a Comment