In modern America, we tend to think of servants as hired help, much as we do the mechanic at the garage, someone to be polite to when he’s repairing our car, but someone we wouldn’t notice if we saw him again.
As long as servants perform their jobs well, they are top notch, but only as long as they’re performing their jobs. They are only hired for the moment, after all.
A true servant is much more, so immersed in our lives that they become almost a part of our family. Just as with family members, certain foibles are tolerated and even forgiven. The best servants are treasured and treated as princes among those we count highly.
Matthew 28:18-20 tells us we are to be servants of Christ, and it tells us how to do it, by giving of our time and energy to the purpose of the cross. Anything else we do is self-centered and egotistical.
Jesus is telling us that being a servant isn’t about us. We must be a servant for God. Who is our example? Christ, of course. He served us with a glad heart, even before we knew he was there.
1 John 1:9 tells us:
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
He washes our filth from us, using his hands, his time, and his humility. It’s a servant’s job, and our Christ does that for us.
Luke 11:4 tells us:
“And forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.”
He holds a lamp for us to see our way, no matter how far we wander or how late we carouse. He places himself at our disposal to make us better by his guiding hand.
Matthew 6:12 tells us:
“And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”
It was common practice in antiquity to clear the slate periodically. Christ does that for us that we might follow his example and do the same for those we interact with every day.
Being a servant isn’t just about hierarchy. It’s also about not becoming wrapped up in comparing the powerful to the powerless. We’re not placed at the bottom of the totem pole when we become servants of Christ. Our example is given from the top down. The greatest in creation became the ultimate servant, giving up all, so that we might become just like him.
When we serve Jesus faithfully, he looks upon us with a glad heart, for he knows we desire to become like him.
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Code: FGO.H.20.15.vp.esv