Servanthood February 23, 2015

The Determination to Serve 

²⁸ just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, Matthew 20:28 ESV

Paul’s idea of service is the same as our Lord’s: “I am among you as He that serveth”; “ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.” We have the idea that a man called to the ministry is called to be a different kind of being from other men. According to Jesus Christ, he is called to be the “door-mat” of other men; their spiritual leader, but never their superior. “I know how to be abased,” says Paul. This is Paul’s idea of service—“I will spend myself to the last ebb for you; you may give me praise or give me blame, it will make no difference. So long as there is a human being who does not know Jesus Christ, I am his debtor to serve him until he does.” The mainspring of Paul’s service is not love for men, but love for Jesus Christ. If we are devoted to the cause of humanity, we shall soon be crushed and broken-hearted, for we shall often meet with more ingratitude from men than we would from a dog; but if our motive is love to God, no ingratitude can hinder us from serving our fellow men. 

Paul’s realisation of how Jesus Christ had dealt with him is the secret of his determination to serve others. “I was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious”—no matter how men may treat me, they will never treat me with the spite and hatred with which I treated Jesus Christ. When we realise that Jesus Christ has served us to the end of our meanness, our selfishness, and sin, nothing that we meet with from others can exhaust our determination to serve men for His sake.

Chambers, Oswald (2011-05-01). My Utmost for His Highest, Classic Edition (p. 38). Discovery House Publishers. Kindle Edition.

While I imagine that most every scripture has practical application, there are sections of the Holy Writ that seem more esoteric than others.  However, today's verse is not one of those.  Christians are called to serve.  We are not better than others.  Ours is a mission of serving, helping, assisting.  Whether it is in spiritual realms or secular endeavors, we are servants.

I especially like Chambers line, "their spiritual leaders, not their superior".  Each of us has some role of leadership.  As a principal, I am the leader of a building, but not superior to the teachers.  Classroom teachers are the leaders of the students, but not their superior.  A father is the leader of the family, but not superior to the other members of the family.  A person may have organizational superiority in a company, but that does not extend to personhood superiority.