Serving Humbly and Selflessly

He will gird himself, have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them. 

Picture a state dinner in a foreign capital,  a lavish dining hall, silver and crystal lining the table, waiters standing tall, ready to serve the guests.   A military band strikes up a fanfare, and the prime minister enters.   But instead of sitting down, he removes his dinner jacket, dons an apron, and asks the waiters to be seated at the table.   Then, slowly and carefully, he proceeds to serve them the meal.

Crazy, right?

Amazingly, the reality at the center of our faith transcends even this illustration.   Jesus, the eternal Son of God, gave up his life to save us from sin.   And this wasn’t just one exceptionally heroic act.   It’s part of who he is.   Jesus tells his disciples that when he returns, he will once again serve those whom he finds waiting for him.

But how does this truth about God affect our lives now?   Certainly, it fills us with awe and gratitude.   As St. Paul has said, “God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us”.   But how about our relationships with other people?   Do we say, “God serves me; so should you!”   Of course not!   God’s heart of service is meant to humble us and move us to serve as well.

Jesus tells us that love is expressed most fully in laying down our lives for each other.   When we allow this kind of servant love to be the center of our relationships rather than selfish interests, it changes everything.   We find that we are able to connect more deeply with our spouses and children, with our friends and co-workers.   Our self-serving motivations begin to weaken, and we become more aware of the needs of the people around us.   In short, we give God’s love a foothold in our lives.

How can you lay down your life today?    Take a look at the next twenty-four hours, and anticipate the opportunities that God will give you to imitate him through acts of service.   Then, when these opportunities arise, accept them eagerly.   Know that as you step into the role of a servant, something holy is happening.   You are becoming Christ to another person.

word among us