Is servanthood all it's cracked up to be?

[Guest peh]

Thinking about how everyone seems to want to be great in the Kingdom, and since the verse in Matt 20 about that subject follows the relating of the story of the sons of Zebedee and their mother wanting them to have prominent place in the Kingdom, (Matt 20:20 and on) it seems that wanting to be great is exactly what those boys were up to. So it doesn't seem likely Jesus was applauding them and then telling them the only way to get there was through ministry to others.

No, it seems more likely the gist was, if you even think about wanting to be great its better to humble yourself and be a servant.

In other words, as a meek and humble one Himself, it seems more likely that Jesus was promoting the position of the humble over the seeking of the greater position. Consider how He said the "meek shall inherit the earth".

Isa 11:4 says "But...He shall...decide with equity for the meek of the earth;.."

Better to have Him decide for us the justice due us if we're meek than if we are striving to be great in the Kingdom.

Zeph 2:3 says "Seek the Lord, all you meek of the earth,... seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden In the day of the Lord's anger."

Notice it doesn't say the great in the Kingdom will be hidden by Him.

Funny how you can go years thinking a certain Scripture means one thing only to find out through the Spirit's prompting that it means the opposite. Didn't you think these verses in Matt were telling us to seek to be great in the Kingdom? I know I did.

However, Mt 5:19 says "Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven."

So there it is. He's not encouraging seeking to be great in the Kingdom as in lording it over others faith as it is written in Mt 20:25 "But Jesus called them to Himself and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. 26 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant."

The idea of these verses could easily be seen as "If someone among you Christians tries to lord it over your faith, make him instead a servant to obey your commands.

Being a servant has been touted in Christianity as a high position, and a noble one, but I'll be willing to say that if you'd asked any servant in Jesus' day if they would rather be a servant or not, they'd say not.

And not just because of human nauture and its pride, but because being under someone else's control is contrary to our God given freedom to be what He wants us to be.

Just imagine that you are a servant to a man of Jesus' day, and Jesus wanted you to go and preach somewhare, how could you do that and serve your master at table or in the stables or whatever at the same time? You couldn't or you'd have to run away or beg your master to let you go, or find a way to pay your indebtedness if that was the case, and so on.

So why would we want to be under any one else's commands but His?

If you look up the words for the so called 5-fold ministry gifts, pastor, teacher, evangelist, and so on, I'd be willing to say that you wouldn't find any definition that even sounds like servant in their meanings.

I believe that so much I've looked up three, and here they are from Eph 4:11:

1. Evangelist - a bringer of good tidings, an evangelist;

the name given to the NT heralds of salvation through Christ who are not apostles.

2. Pastor - a herdsman, esp. a shepherd in the parable, he to whose care and control others have committed themselves, and whose precepts they follow.

3. Teacher - a teacher; in the NT one who teaches concerning the things of God, and the duties of man.

Not a single word in any of that implies or speaks to their status as servants, and in fact, under pastor it specifically says he is one to whose "control" others have committed themselves.

Now, lest any think I'm saying ministry is for those who wish to dominate others, suffice it to say that is far far from my thoughts and intent, and certainly from Scripture meaning. We must let the Spirit interpret Scripture to us and not other humans, or our own reasonings. Agreed?

Instead of wanting to be great in the Kingdom, what if, instead, Christians turned their energies, money and talents towards making the Kingdom great on earth? What great things might come about from that?

[Scarletprayers]

Great post Peh! Your right, if we all had the attitude of servants what wonderful things we could accomplish!

[Ovedya]

I think it's important to note that in the Scriptures one who shepherds is also one who teaches, and one who teaches is also shepherding.

It is a part of fallen humanity to want to be something great - whether in the kindgom of the heavens or in the "kingdom" of the earth. To strive to be the best or the greatest requires one thing: selfish ambition. Note the first part of that phrase is "self."

There is only one "great One" in the kingdom of the heavens, and that is the King Himself, the Head of the Body, and the husband of the corporate Bride, the church.

[Guest RJD Servant]

Hi

Thanks for the post of this subject as I really enjoyed it.

I think being in service for the King of Kings and Lord of Lords is a great miracal in its self.

As we live in a world of Fleshliness that only works to serve it's self and selfish desires.

When we become servants unto the world around us in the Love and Humility of the Gospel then they will know that we have been with Jesus.

Selfishness with in the "Church" does not portray the body of Christ as servants and humble before a people who are in need of a Savior.

Thanks for the work of encouragement to me!

RJD Servant

[refugepsa91]

serving Christ in a fallen world is tough, there will be trials and tribulations and even persacution. But the retirement benefits are out of this world.

I heard someone say that once, and its soooo true.

Good post peh!!

Love and Blessings,

Angel

[Keith]

Serving is the most under-rated portion of being a Christian. The world wants to be served and, unfortunately, many Christians have fallen into this same trap of thinking.

I hesitate to make this next statement because I don't want it misconstrued as "look how great I am!" It couldn't be further from the truth. But I absolutely love to serve other people! I'm at my happiest, most content and have overflowing joy when I find something I can do to help anyone! It's who I am. Like I told my boss at work, "I would rather be the oil in the machinery than a piece of the machinery. I want to be the unseen portion that helps the machine function at it's best."

Serving God used to be so much harder for me until I changed my thinking and stopped caring what others (including "Christians") thought. It's still not easy, and I'm the farthest person from perfect I know, but I am enjoying the ride! It's just a matter of changing my thinking. Taking my thoughts off myself and putting them on God and understanding that what He's asking me to do is a privilege! He's asking ME to do it! It's great because I am so sick and tired of thinking about me, me, me, me....

[Fiosh]

Serving is the most under-rated portion of being a Christian. The world wants to be served and, unfortunately, many Christians have fallen into this same trap of thinking.

I hesitate to make this next statement because I don't want it misconstrued as "look how great I am!" It couldn't be further from the truth. But I absolutely love to serve other people! I'm at my happiest, most content and have overflowing joy when I find something I can do to help anyone! It's who I am. Like I told my boss at work, "I would rather be the oil in the machinery than a piece of the machinery. I want to be the unseen portion that helps the machine function at it's best."

Serving God used to be so much harder for me until I changed my thinking and stopped caring what others (including "Christians") thought. It's still not easy, and I'm the farthest person from perfect I know, but I am enjoying the ride! It's just a matter of changing my thinking. Taking my thoughts off myself and putting them on God and understanding that what He's asking me to do is a privilege! He's asking ME to do it! It's great because I am so sick and tired of thinking about me, me, me, me....

You wanna really have some fun? Go somewhere in the community and relate to people as their "servant". For example, when there is a long line at the supermarket deli counter, let people go in front of you. Or offer to pump someone's gas at the self-service station, or offer to take someone's cart back to the cart return etc. It freaks people out.

Then explain, "I just want to show you God's love in a practical way".

[Scarletprayers]

Serving is the most under-rated portion of being a Christian. The world wants to be served and, unfortunately, many Christians have fallen into this same trap of thinking.

I hesitate to make this next statement because I don't want it misconstrued as "look how great I am!" It couldn't be further from the truth. But I absolutely love to serve other people! I'm at my happiest, most content and have overflowing joy when I find something I can do to help anyone! It's who I am. Like I told my boss at work, "I would rather be the oil in the machinery than a piece of the machinery. I want to be the unseen portion that helps the machine function at it's best."

Serving God used to be so much harder for me until I changed my thinking and stopped caring what others (including "Christians") thought. It's still not easy, and I'm the farthest person from perfect I know, but I am enjoying the ride! It's just a matter of changing my thinking. Taking my thoughts off myself and putting them on God and understanding that what He's asking me to do is a privilege! He's asking ME to do it! It's great because I am so sick and tired of thinking about me, me, me, me....

You wanna really have some fun? Go somewhere in the community and relate to people as their "servant". For example, when there is a long line at the supermarket deli counter, let people go in front of you. Or offer to pump someone's gas at the self-service station, or offer to take someone's cart back to the cart return etc. It freaks people out.

Then explain, "I just want to show you God's love in a practical way".

Good ideas!

[Keith]

You wanna really have some fun? Go somewhere in the community and relate to people as their "servant". For example, when there is a long line at the supermarket deli counter, let people go in front of you. Or offer to pump someone's gas at the self-service station, or offer to take someone's cart back to the cart return etc. It freaks people out.

Then explain, "I just want to show you God's love in a practical way".

I don't have a car so I'm not at gas stations, but I've done the other two! It does weird them out, doesn't it?! GOOD! LOL

I'll let people in front of me in lines all the time. I'll even pay a table's check at a restaurant when I feel led to. When I had a car, I would pay for the car behind me at a drive through. I don't want to tout, just giving more examples of ways we can bless others. Holding doors, doing yardwork, running errands, making dinner for others.... all fantastic ways to witness and exhibit the love of Jesus, asking nothing in return. And doing it anonymously whenever possible.

People who don't do these things really don't know what they're missing!

[Guest duane65]

It is never what we do in front of 2000 people that makes us an effective Christian. It's what we do in front of the one. And what we do behind closed doors.

Great posts everyone.