Servant

What does it mean to be a servant? The concept of being a servant is fairly easy to define.

According to the dictionary a servant is “one that performs duties about the person.”

Yet, the practice is much more difficult. It means putting others first. It requires sacrifice and submission of your own will and needs to the will and needs of others. It often carries with it negative connotations. It frequently means doing things you don’t want to do.

As a profession, no one aspires or wants to be a servant. In Biblical times through the modern world, often those who were servants either were no servants by choice or their socioeconomic status prevented them from moving up the “career ladder.” The status of being a servant often carries negative connotations. It meant you were in the lower classes, you had the wrong ethnic or racial background, you weren’t highly educated. In other words, you weren’t some kids grow up wishing to become later as adults. You were from the wrong side of town and everyone knew it because of your job or status as servant.

However, society is odd. While no one wants to be a servant professionally because of the status in conveys, we acknowledge those to serve others outside of their profession. There are all kind of volunteer awards across this country. So, clearly we understand and value those who voluntarily serve others.

Ultimately, no one WANTS to be forced to be a servant BUT we all acknowledge the altruism of those who CHOOSE to be a servant.

Matthew links Isaiah description of God’s servant directly to Jesus. “Behold My Servant whom I have chosen…” (Matthew 12/Isaiah 42).

Jesus is God’s servant. He came to this world to serve God and others. “The Son of Man did not come to this world to be served, but to serve…” (Matthew 20) Jesus willingly became a servant – “but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant…” (Phillippians 2). He gave up Heaven, glory, and honor to become a poor servant in this world. His willingness to die on the cross was His ultimate act of service.

Jesus lived a life of service and always emphasized service to His followers. There’s not better example of that than John 13 when Jesus washes the feet of His disciples. The act was meant to highlight to them that to be pleasing to God and to become considered a true follower of Him – you just give up your own will and status for others. “For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 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.” Jesus makes these two statements repeatedly. “A servant is not greater than his master” and “The greatest among you shall be your servant.”

To be one of Jesus’ followers we must follow His example of humble service. “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2)

Jesus left heaven to serve God and us. The least we can do in return is become a servant like Christ. Humble ourselves to serve God and others.