The art of being a servant. It is not a painting on the wall or a sculpture in a gallery or even a finger painting on the refrigerator. A servant is a person who has made a choice to make much of others.
I heard an encouraging word about being a servant that hit me. The pastor said “do for others what they generally would do for you.” Sounds a lot like the golden rule, and it should. But different.
Matthew 7:12 NLT
Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.
The example that the pastor was referring to was Jesus washing the feet of his disciples only a couple days before he went to the cross. He washed the feet of the one who had already agreed to betray him. He washed the feet of the men who would walk away from him.
It wasn’t the call or place of the teacher to wash feet. In fast it was the slave or servant who were to wash feet. In that day as people walked and wore sandals that their feet would get dirty.
Serving is an art. It is learned. It is important. So I suggest as we start this week that we choose to do for the people who usually do for us.
What makes servanthood an art? Let me try to answer that with…
Luke 6:40 NLT
Students are not greater than their teacher. But the student who is fully trained will become like the teacher.
Become like your teacher. What you saw in the people who impacted you is what you should do for others.
Mark 9:35 NLT
He sat down, called the twelve disciples over to him, and said, “Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.”
Jesus lets us see that servanthood is really life upside down. It is not the little people serving the big people or the poor serving the rich. It really is thinking differently about serving others.
Galatians 5:13 NLT
For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.
Choose to be a servant of the people around you. Make being a servant part of your life. Jesus was our example and who we should learn from. It really is an art.
Matthew 20:26-28 NLT
But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. 28 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.
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