Christ-Centered Life: Our Servant

Do you remember that time we were asked to practice ‘social distancing?’

All the introverts said, ‘Amen!’ And the extroverts, ‘Oh me!’

What makes this difficult for so many people is the disruption placed on our daily routines. A crisis is just that; a time of intense difficulty, trouble, or danger.

Don’t go to school. Don’t go to work. Don’t go to the playground. Don’t go to the movies. Don’t fly on airplanes. Don’t walk on beaches. Don’t gather at Starbucks.

If you must see people, stand at least six feet away. Wear a mask. Wear gloves. Cough in the bend of your elbow. Check your body temperature. Monitor your cough. Lather your hands with soap for no less than twenty seconds.

I get it. These are best practices. But they’re disruptive for a vast majority of people. So we’re fighting against old habits and old social norms for a new set of habits and new social norms.

It’s a form of self-preservation; doing what’s necessary to take care of yourself.

But we’re not always thinking this way. Sometimes we’re careless. We drive too fast without buckling up. Jumping out of airplanes. Walking across rickety bridges. Eating cafeteria food.

Is it even conceivable that we would abandon self-preservation for the sake of some kingdom greater than the kingdom of ‘me?’

Remember when Jesus came on the scene? It wasn’t social distancing; it was social gathering!

Everybody was drawing near; leaning in to His teaching, hanging on to His every word, watching Him do miraculous signs, unraveling the religious and political powers of His day.

But as His ministry continued the people did in fact begin to distance themselves from Him. Why? Because He began to invite them in to inconvenient places; the place where He required them to consider you before me, relationship over rules, serving rather than being served, forsaking earthly pleasures for a greater reward.

One instance of Jesus modeling this attitude of servanthood was only hours before His unwarranted arrest. He takes His closest followers into an upper room for a meal. But it wouldn’t come without an awe-inspiring act of washing His disciples’ feet.

The primary motivation for servanthood is humility. Humility is not thinking less of ourselves. Rather, thinking of ourselves less. Jesus clothed Himself with humility when He robed Himself with a towel and filled the wash basin.

Developing an ethic of serving others is not a one time event. It becomes a way of life. It requires persevering love. Notice what this story says, “He loved them to the end.”

To the end of what? Til the end of dinner? The end of the foot washing? The end of His life? I believe ‘the end’ was and is until the end of time. Christ, our perfect example, subjected Himself to love them until they were reunited with Him in glory.

A heart for serving others requires patience. The temptation for the beneficiaries of Christ’s servanthood is to become more demanding or to become ungrateful for His amazing benefits. Peter questioned Christ’s actions but He patiently assured Peter that in time he would come to understand what Jesus was doing.

The chain reaction of serving others invites others to participate in the mission. Jesus prescribed to His disciples that they should also wash one another’s feet as He had done for them. Observe then imitate. He’s inviting us to practice the ongoing ethic of serving others.

The reward of serving others is receiving the Father’s pleasure. Christ modeled an act of service but more convincingly He modeled obedience. And He considered them blessed who heard His words and followed through with such action. It’s more than drawing a crowd, gaining followers, or building our own little kingdom; it’s entering the joy of the Master.

So how do we serve others in the midst of ‘social distancing?’

We’re not to be careless with what we do, where we go, or who we’re with. But we also shouldn’t limit our reach because of a lack of compassion or creativity. We must become innovative with our approach to empathize, connect, and build community with others in the midst of crisis.

Who can we serve? What can we serve? When can we serve? Where can we serve? How can we serve? Every moment we practice the art of humbling ourselves for the sake of others we become more like Christ; our model Servant!