[Jesus said,] “But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.â€Â Matthew 20:26-28 (NLT)
“What if we all asked ourselves, what if…and we all undertook one what if thought…and we had a what if serv-o-lution?â€Â – Renee Crosby, author of “Soup Kitchen for the Soul†(ISBN: 1-893729-79-6)
God does not even respect the “sanctity†of my workplace. He came barging into my spirit through a book that I was proofreading called “Soup Kitchen for the Soul†and spoke to me in no uncertain terms about being a servant. He wasn’t interested in how successful I was in the world but how successful I was in being a servant to whomever and wherever He sent me.
“…whatever you did for one of the least of my brothers and sisters, you did for Me†(Matthew 25:40). Before I start making a list of what I am going to start doing, Jesus’ words have come to my mind “When you give, do not announce it with a trumpet like a hypocrite†(Matthew 6:2). The only applause that I seek is in heaven. I believe one of the extraordinary sights that I will behold in heaven is the humble servants, unknown to me on earth but great in God’s Kingdom.
Do I see those of whom that Jesus speaks? Have I watched Jesus speak to them throughout the Scripture so I can follow His example? Are my ears open to His words or is the voice of my own judgment drowning Him out? What if I took a step outside my “comfortable†life and offered a drink to someone who was thirsty or a shelter to someone who was homeless? What if I reached out to someone who was sick or needed an encouraging word? What if?
“…go and make all the nations into my disciples…and teach them everything I have taught…†(Matthew 28:19-20). I have been outside this country on mission trips. Whatever I have done in obedience to Jesus’ commands, He has blessed me more than I can list. The people I have met who walk their faith every day down roads that are not paved and yet, they see Jesus as their companion. What more do they need?
Whether the “mission†that Jesus calls me to be a part is in my living room with my children or grandchildren or thousands of miles where I do not have a permanent place to lay my head, it is my willingness to freely share what I have learned that pleases my LORD. It is not the level of my education or the size of my bank account. There is always someone who needs a word of encouragement or a hand of care. What if I am willing?
“…you will receive power when my Spirit comes on you and you will be witnesses…to the ends of the earth†(Acts 1:8). Oh, how small I am in the expanse of God’s Kingdom. And, yet, it was His plan that I share who He is wherever I went and whoever I met. It was always about relationships. The relationship of God with His children. The relationship of His children with each other. It is the power of God’s Spirit that will direct and guide me, giving me the words to say and when to say them.
What happens in the church building is only the beginning of what God has planned. My life is Jesus’. Like a soldier in an army, Jesus is my Commander-in-Chief and I am here to serve and obey.
For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.    Colossians 3:3-4 (NLT)
