04/16/2020
Are you a humble servant of God, and His children? Do you see your mission in life as being to rule over others, or is it to lead them humbly to our Father? If we are truly servants of God, and one another, then we need to go about doing the work of our Master... we need to know God’s will and do it, we need to see man’s shortcomings and mend them. Jesus washed the filth of our sin from us... do we wash the dust from one another’s feet?
“If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.”
John 13:14 ESV
In today’s business world there is much talk about Servant Leadership, but for as much talk as this subject receives there is little actual movement in that direction. Enabling someone, providing them with mentorship, and clearing the roadblocks that are impeding your employees and business from being all they can be requires much more than mouthing a few words... it depends on a leader’s ability to put those thoughts on servitude into action... to wash corporate feet, and to assume a position of strength based on humility.
For Servant Leadership to succeed it must begin at the uppermost reaches of an organization; not with just words but with humility, and action. If a company tries to implement this form of leadership from the bottom up it will fail because those people are already servants, and the lesson is subsequently lost. This type of management has its roots in Christianity, and should adhere to the model provided there by Jesus.
Jesus taught how to serve, not from a position of weakness, but as the King of Kings, and the Son of God. He didn’t tell His apostles to wash each other’s feet while He watched and instructed them... No, He humbly knelt down and washed each Apostle’s feet, and then told them to do as He did.
“If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.”
John 13:14-15 ESV
As Christians we are to serve, and serving implies action! If we go to a restaurant we certainly judge it by its food, but just as importantly we judge it on the service we have received there. Jesus taught us faith, and how to do the will of God by His actions. He did, and then He explained what He had done. He washed feet, and then He told His disciples why they too should do this.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.”
John 13:16-17 ESV
Jesus came to serve, and when we are called by God we too are called to serve. If you see a man who refers to himself as a man of God, but lords over those around him, then you are witnessing a liar. This is no man of God.
“But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.””
Mark 10:43-45 ESV
So let’s turn inward, and look at how we are living out our faith. Let’s ask ourselves the first question I posed today... “Are you a humble servant of God, and His children?“ before we quickly respond “YES I AM!”, we might want to take a few minutes to do some real soul searching. Think back on interactions we have had in church, were our actions truly humble? How about how we approached a sinner who needed a witness, but received haughtiness from us instead? Were we serving them as Jesus served us?
If we find that we are living a lie as we practice our faith, or come to know ourselves to be least when we thought we were one of the greatest; then it is time for some extended conversation with the Lord in our prayer closet. We need to ask Him to open our eyes, and for Jesus to work a real transformation in us. As we do this, we need to realize that pursuing our faith as we really should will come at a price; are you ready?
“even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.””
Matthew 20:28 ESV
Prayer:
Father, thank you for your Son Jesus Christ who you sent to not only redeem us, and save us from sin and death, but to lead us in humility, and servitude. Thank you Lord for transforming us and recasting us in your image. Help us Holy Father to throw off our haughtiness, and pride, as we serve you, and those around us. You are our Master, and yet you sent your Son to serve us; how then can we approach you, and one another, with anything other than humility, and with the attitude of a servant. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God who invites us to His table, and serves us as we dine. Praised be your name Father, for your mercy is poured out upon us humbly in your grace through Christ. Great are you In strength, and might Father, but perfect are you in your love, goodness, and humility. Your wrath is not based on your might, but on a humble nature that calls us to your service, just as you called Jesus. We worship you now, and forevermore, prostrate, humbled, and with eyes that are downcast in our subservience.
“Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.”
Matthew 16:24-27 ESV
Rich Forbes