Suppose you were transposed in
time and place back to the city of Jerusalem during the first century. Suppose you were given the opportunity of
spending 30 days with the Lord. Suppose
that afterward a reporter from the Jerusalem Gazette conducted an interview
with you. Some of his questions might
be, “Where did you go? What did you
do? What did you see? What happened during those 30 days? Of all the things you have done, experienced,
or observed, what one fact or idea stands out foremost in your mind concerning
Jesus?” What would you say? Would you tell how impressed you were with
the compassion of Jesus? Would you
relate how wise Jesus was? Would you
share how that Jesus knew what to say and how to say it? Would you point out how relevant and meaningful
the teachings of Jesus were? All of
these and much more would certainly be appropriate perceptions regarding the
Lord.
However, there is a quality
that makes Jesus unique among men. He was a servant! Seven hundred years prior to his virgin birth
it was prophesied that Jesus would be the suffering servant (Isa. 53). He left the riches of heaven for the poverty
of earth (Phil. 2:5-7). Human wisdom
would have dictated that he be born in a major metropolis by rich and
well-educated parents, but he was born of little known parents in a stable and
laid in a feeding trough for animals.
His entire life was lived as a servant.
Near the end Jesus laid aside his garments, took a towel and washed the
feet of his disciples (Jn. 13:3-11). If
you had everything in your hands, would you take a towel and wash feet? James and John typified man when they
requested positions of prominence in Jesus’ kingdom (Mk. 10:35-37). Jesus turned the concept of greatness upside
down when he said, “Whoever wishes to
become great among you, shall be your servant." “The
Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve” (Matt. 20:28). Are you a servant?
A true servant of Jesus is not
quarrelsome (2 Tim. 2:24). He seeks to
be where Jesus would be and to do what Jesus would do (Jn. 12:26). It might necessitate a change in reading or
viewing habits. It might require a
change in language or the content of one’s conversation, but a true servant is
willing to make the changes. A genuine
servant realizes that he owns nothing in this world (1 Tim. 6:7), but is owned
by God who paid the purchase price for him (1 Cor. 6:20). A true servant does not seek a title, but an
opportunity.
Edwin Markham tells the story
of a cobbler named Conrad. One night the
cobbler dreamed that the next day Christ would visit his shop. The next morning he decorated his shop with
green boughs so it would be an appropriate place to receive such a guest. He waited all morning and the only thing that
happened was that an old man shuffled up asking to rest. Seeing that his shoes were worn through,
Conrad put on the old man the sturdiest pair of shoes he had in the shop before
sending him on his way. He waited
through the afternoon but the only thing that happened was that an old woman
carrying a heavy load of firewood came by, weary, and out of compassion, Conrad
took her in and gave her some food he had prepared for Christ. As the shades of night began to fall, there
came a little lost child crying bitterly.
Conrad was annoyed because it was necessary to leave the shop in order
to take the child to her house across town.
When he returned he was convinced he had missed the Lord’s visit while
he was gone. Conrad cried out, “Why is
it, Lord that your feet delay? Have you
forgotten that this was the day?” Then
soft in the silence a Voice he heard: “Lift up your heart for I kept my
word. Three times I came to your
friendly door; three times my shadow was on your floor. I was the beggar with bruised feet; I was the
woman you gave to eat; I was the child on the homeless street.” I want to be a servant of the Lord; don’t
you?
