In my first year of graduate school I took an advanced preaching course. One of the students, who aspired to be one of the well-known preachers in the brotherhood, asked our Professor: “Who do you think is the best preacher in the brotherhood?” I was thankful when our teacher wisely said, “I don’t know, probably some guy in a small congregation nobody’s heard of.” I admired Dr. Reese for his response that reminded me of a conversation Jesus had with His disciples.
Once, on the way to Capernaum, while Jesus was traveling with His disciples, He asked them: “33 . . . “What was it you disputed among yourselves on the road?” 34 But they kept silent, for on the road they had disputed among themselves who would be the greatest. 35 And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all” (Mark 9:33-35).” In submitting Himself to the cross, Jesus demonstrated that He is the greatest servant of all!
While Jesus is indisputably the greatest servant, He challenges His disciples to be His servants. He challenges you and me to be His servants. When we made the decision to confess Jesus as our Lord, we chose to follow Him and commit to walk as He walked; to talk as He talked; to live and serve as He did.
To serve like Jesus means that we need to cultivate a servant’s heart. To serve like Jesus means loving and serving others. We can know if we have a servant’s heart if we are willing to follow Jesus’ example of loving and serving others like He did in John 13:1-17. The Apostle John shares wonderful examples of what it truly means to love and serve others in 1 John 3-4.
We can develop a servant’s heart, because, as Christians, we have the values of Christ not the world. John reminds us in 1 John 2:15-17, “15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” Christians also think differently than those of the world (Romans 12). We strive to have the mind of Christ and to think about the things that are good and godly, like Philippians 4:8-9 tells us: “8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.”
Those with a servant’s heart are always on the lookout for ways to help others. When we see a need, we do our best to fulfill it. Galatians 6:10, encourages us: “10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.” We should never shun someone in need, because God is blessing us with an opportunity to serve.
Having a servant’s heart means that we allow God to serve us and to serve through us. As followers of Christ, with a servant’s heart, we are the hands and feet of Christ, sharing His love to others by our service.
