Servant of All

"And he said to them, 'If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all'" (Mark 9:35).

Do you ever find yourself fighting for position?  Maybe you just want to be "recognized." Maybe you think you aren't appreciated enough.  Most of us deal with these feelings at times.  Jesus' disciples did.  It seems they were always fighting for position.

It is during on of these arguments that Jesus confronts his disciples.  They had been "discussing" who was the greatest among them, when Jesus says, "What have you all been discussing." Like guilty children, they all remained silent.  He called them together, and brought a child into their midst.  Taking the child in his arms, Jesus said, "Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me" (see Mark 9:33-37).

Jesus struck at their pride by telling them, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be last of all and servant of all."  In other words, service is the key to greatness.  Then, to illustrate exactly what he meant, he brings a child before them and says serve him.  Children were often little more than property in the first century.  They were to be seen and not heard, and certainly not served.

But Jesus didn't care what the culture said.  He came to serve.  His life was given for men, women, and children.  It was given for Jew and Gentile.  The fast tract to greatness is a life of service to others--all others, even the small and insignificant.  Even the culturally marginalized. 

I think children were actually given to parents to teach them how to become better servants.  A child, even one as beautiful, intelligent, and grateful as mine, continually wants more than they are given.  If you give them an hour of your time, they want six.  If you play one round of a game, they want three.  If you give them two cookies, they want ten.  Sometimes they thank you, sometimes the throw a tantrum.

Children are in a perpetual state of need.  They need someone to prepare their food, wash their clothes, help them in the potty, etc.  With each opportunity, a choice is given.  We can hone our skills as a servant, or we can blunt the blade with resentment and selfishness.

Training a child trains the parents as well.  The process of caring for a small child prepares your caring for your aging parent or spouse.  The impatience of a child can teach you how impatient you are when you realize you were about to throw a fit because the kids interrupted your favorite t.v. show.  The way a child is free to laugh at themselves can teach you not to take yourself to seriously. And so on.

Your pride wants to be first, but it doesn't want to pay the price.  Pride wants a kingdom without a cross. Pride is like gum on the sole of your shoe, it's messy and impedes movement.  You got to scrape it off, and throw it away.  As long as you are prideful, you can never be great in the kingdom of heaven.  It is only when we stop wanting to be "first," that we ever have the potential to truly become great. 

Having children won't necessarily make you a better servant (and not having children won't keep you from becoming a servant).  It will all depend on how you respond.  Are you really concerned with their needs?  Are you serving them in the love of Christ?  Does serving them make you more joyful, than being served yourself?

I know from personal experience just how difficult cultivating this mindset can be.  I find myself straining against it a thousand times a day, and 990 times I fail.  Serving others, for their benefit and God's glory, is a task that requires supernatural strength to accomplish it.  God must work in us to will and do his good pleasure.  And he does, but often we impede the process.

If your children can't get you to serve, God might send more difficult people your way.  The more we stumble, the more God sends difficult people our way for us to serve.  Because when we receive them (and serve them) in Jesus name, we're not only receiving (serving) them, but Jesus, too.  And we're not only receiving (serving) Jesus, but the Father, too.  Would you agree that the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is worthy of our service?  Then dare to become a servant of all. Because it's all about being conformed into the image of Christ.