Just looking around us in our world, we see our society idolizing the rich, the powerful, the beautiful and the athletic. Sadly, as Henry Blackaby pointed out, we even make celebrities out of those who brazenly flaunt their immorality.
But think about those categories – don’t you imagine them all as having servants — hired people who serve them. At least, that is in my picture of them.
And how does our world slot someone who serves others? Our world generally demeans those who serve others. The goal is to be on top in those worlds and be the one being served.
Isn’t it just like the Lord to flip that? God’s kingdom completely rejects the world’s measure for esteem, as Blackaby describes it. God gives the greatest honor to the one who serves most. The person who serves selflessly, lovingly, without complaint, and without seeking recognition is highly regarded in the kingdom of God.
The verse he shared? Luke 22:27 For who is greater, the one at the table or the one serving? Isn’t it the one at the table? But I am among you as the One who serves.
Jesus nailed it! Blackaby reminded me. When He and His disciples entered the upper room, the disciples looked for a prominent place to sit. But Jesus looked for a place to serve. And he found it in taking a towel and basin and washing their feet (John 13:1-15).
This is hitting me hard as I look at the recent events with my younger sister – I called the police for a wellness check as she was not responding to me and she lives in another state. They found her on the floor. She had been there at least 2 days and she was in ICU when I arrived on the scene via the first flight I could get.
It has now been a month of ICU to hospital rooms to a skilled rehab place to deal with her wounds from scooting herself around on carpet. MRI showed she had a stroke and revealed signs of dementia. I have made 3 trips to her location, spent hours with my kids and grandkid cleaning and dealing with her two houses. I am the power of attorney – lost track of how many hours of transferring her mail, paying her bills once I found them, figuring out her medical needs and insurance plus sifting through piles of paperwork trying to discern what is urgent and what is not. And now working with a non-responsive facility trying to get her transferred to a rehab near me (and the rest of my family which is all she has). And spending hours on the phone with her.
I look back at the words Blackaby used to describe the “person who serves” – selfless, loving, without complaint or seeking recognition. That was Jesus’ modeling of servanthood – not just at the last supper but all through his demonstrative life on this earth. I am chastened. I must confess to exasperation in my exhaustion, to many complaints and loss of patience, to sighs and whining. Do I love my sister? Absolutely. But I confess that I have not kept that love and reasoning for my actions up front – not that she knows that. No, she has expressed her appreciation and apologized for the difficulty her situation has caused me.
But I realize I so easily slip into the world’s view of “serving”. As in Biblical times, servants remain on their feet attending to the needs of others and receive little recognition. As one author put it, Jesus’ wording forces a contrast between visible honor and hidden service. Truth is – service often happens in the background, unnoticed by crowds. Yet throughout scripture, God elevates the humble. (Proverbs 29:23 A person’s pride will humble him, but a humble spirit will gain honor: James 4:10 – Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.)
And that is when Blackaby’s words began to sink in deeper for me. He said we are tempted to adopt the world’s evaluation of importance. But when we look to Jesus as our model, we see that it takes a far more noble character to serve than to be served.
I went a little deeper and realized I was really having a battle with the Lord in the realm of “why are you piling all this on me?” and focusing on all the hardship I was having. Yes, I was indulging in a real “pity party” – and where was the focus? On myself. On how much more difficult life was for me. Me – me – me.
And then comes Blackaby’s lesson – you know the one. The one that pierces the heart and gets right to what the Lord is trying to teach me.
Blackaby’s wisdom – the world will estimate your importance by the number of people serving you. God is more concerned with the number of people you are serving. If you struggle to be a servant, your heart may have shifted away from the heart of God.
He was so right. I was not focusing on the heart of God in the midst of this situation. He has a reason and purpose for this all unfolding as it has and for putting me alongside her during this time. In the way and timing it all occurred, in the midst of all that is happening right now, and in the heart and attitude I have during my serving her throughout this journey.
I have a suspicion it may have something to do with a need to restore or strengthen her faith – only the Lord knows. And my job is to obey – with humility. And remembering those traits of selflessness, loving, without complaint and without seeking recognition. Yep – I just felt a bit of a drop in my spirit. And the result is a clarity that I cannot do this without the Lord’s presence in each and every step. I must totally rely upon Him to guide and sustain me. He is trustworthy in that respect.
I will adopt Blackaby’s recommendation at the end of his lesson – ask Jesus to teach you selflessness and to give you the strength to follow His example. The wisdom of Blackaby is that I should watch for Jesus’ invitation to join Him (I think I have already gotten that!) and then join Him in serving others. He says “it will come”. And I believe He is right. When I think of “joining Him” in this role and activity, rather than trying to do it all on my own, that makes it so much more possible – it is doable. I am not alone in this. And together, we can love my sister well.
