The Heart of a Servant

About ten years ago, a young and very successful executive named Josh was traveling down a Chicago neighborhood street. He was going a bit too fast in his sleek, black, 12 cylinder Jaguar XKE, which was only two months old.

He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something. As his car passed, no child darted out, but a brick sailed out and - WHUMP! - it smashed Into the Jag's shiny black side door! SCREECH..!!!! Brakes slammed! Gears ground into reverse, and tires madly spun the Jaguar back to the spot from where the brick had been thrown. Josh jumped out of the car, grabbed the kid and pushed him up against a parked car. He shouted at the kid, "What was that all about and who are you? Just what the heck are you doing?!" Building up a head of steam, he went on. "That's my new Jag, that brick you threw is gonna cost you a lot of money. Why did you throw it?"

"Please, mister, please. . . I'm sorry! I didn't know what else to do!" Pleaded the youngster. "I threw the brick because no one else would stop!" Tears were dripping down the boy's chin as he pointed around the parked car. "It's my brother, mister," he said. "He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him up." Sobbing, the boy asked the executive, "Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for me."

Moved beyond words, the young executive tried desperately to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat. Straining, he lifted the young man back into the wheelchair and took out his handkerchief and wiped the scrapes and cuts, checking to see that everything was going to be OK. He then watched the younger brother push him down the sidewalk toward their home.

It was a long walk back to the sleek, black, shining, 12-cylinder Jaguar XKE -a long and slow walk. Josh never did fix the side door of his Jaguar. He kept the dent to remind him not to go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at him to get his attention. (The Brick Story)

Romans 12:7 ”...if it is serving, serve.”(NIV) The Greek word for “serve” in this context is: diakonia, which means, "service, ministering”(Greek Lexicon)

There are many who served that I call the Serving Hall of Fame:  Matthew 20:28 says "the Son of Man [Jesus] did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Jesus also said, "I am among you as one who serves," and He even washed His disciples' feet Luke 22:27, John 13:5. Because servants often work behind the scenes, their work but not their name is often mentioned in Scripture Numbers 11:17, 1 Timothy 6:2, 
Acts 6:1-3. People named in the Bible who helped the church through service include Phoebe, Priscilla, Aquila, Tryphena, Tryphosa Romans 16:1-4,12, and John Mark in Acts 13:5. Some people with this gift are also appointed to leadership as church deacons according to 1 Timothy 3:8-13

The ultimate server was Jesus.  He model serving.  Lived to serve.  And, died to serve!

Jesus was masterful at putting everything in its right perspective.  Greatness in the kingdom is not achieved by who is first, but rather, by being a willing servant of one another. Jesus said to his disciples in Mark 10:43-45, “...Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. 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.”

Richard Foster wrote, "When we choose to be a servant, we give up the right to be in charge." The essence of life is not about being in charge or the leader or the top dog. The essence of life is about modeling the servant life so that the needs of others are met and the attention and glory is given to Jesus Christ!

Serving with humility is a trait that is learned over time. The world's view of service is: Since I helped you, you help me. I scratched your back, now you scratch mine.

Jesus modeled a service lifestyle much differently than even his disciples had known. Jesus regarded service as a primary way of demonstrating love for those whom He served and a way to put importance of one person over another in perspective. Jesus told his disciples to follow His example of showing true servant hood by washing each others feet in John 13:12-16, "After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow.

Remember, Be God Controlled!

Brian