Fighting for Servant-heartedness

Before I start my blog I want to share some really exciting news with all of you...in December I am going to Botswana for about 3 weeks with the Salvation Army's Mission Team, Project 1:8!! WOOHOO...I just got accepted yesterday so its all still fresh and new and EXCITING!! God is great!

So...anyway...onto my blog! Servant-heartedness! Hmmm...what a topic! I guess this is also something that ties in with my last blog as something that we seem to fail on a lot! We have this 'Be Number One' mentality and it really doesnt leave a lot of room to be servant-hearted! But I want to specifically talk about being servant hearted!

Our best example of someone who had a servant heart was Jesus. Lets look at His example because that's how we will understand what having a servant heart is all about! Well, Jesus came to earth as one of us. He didnt come as someone who had all these riches and great clothes...the best brands...you know what I mean...you know, the NIKE robe or the Billabong sandals...and He didnt come with the choicest donkey to ride into town...the BMW model...He didnt have a mansion with loads of maids and servants who would wait on Him and feed Him grapes and dust the piano...He didn't walk around town expecting people to bow down to Him and make a big fuss and go 'Hey, Jesus....can I have your autograph?!'...you can just picture it cant you...Jesus wearing His NIKE robe, His Billabong sandals, and of course His designer sunnys...with the Jerusalem Techno Beaters blaring really load behind Him as He strides in to town on His BMW donkey waving with a cheesy smile that says 'Hey, how you doin?'...and then He clicks His fingers and His maids run on over and start giving Him some air con with their big palm leaves! Is that what you picture when you think of Jesus and His life? I don't!

So what was Jesus really like? What was He about? He could have had all those things if He wanted to...so why didnt He? Why did He choose to live such a humble life? Ok, quick recap...Jesus was born to the virgin Mary and her soon-to-be-husband, Joseph. They weren't royalty or anything by any means...He was born in a barn! Yes, with donkeys and other animals watching on. It wasn't the most hygeinic or appealing of births (although most births aren't appealing...haha). He grew up as a simple carpenter. He didnt start His ministry till He was 30 years old! That first 30 years He just lived with the people. He did meet with and share with some people as a boy in the temple but apart from that, He didn't do anything till He was 30. So, what did He teach us about servant-heartedness?

Well...being servant hearted is all about taking the back seat and letting other people do stuff...so, not being number one all the time! Not trying to run the show and be in control all the time, but allowing others to use their God-given gifts and talents to be involved. It's all about HUMBLING yourself! Jesus knew it all. He had more knowledge than anyone else and He had more control than anyone else...and infact He had more of everything than anyone else! Everything belongs to Him! But He didnt flaunt it! He didnt come in and say 'Im the bomb...look what I've got...look what I can do!' No, Jesus was HUMBLE! He was a servant! He had a servant heart.

When I looked up the word 'serve' in the dictionary 2 definitions stood out to me (there were a few) The first one was "To give homage and obedience to" and the second one was "To act toward (one another) in a specified way". So when we serve God, are we being obedient and do we serve Him with homage (or respect)? Is that our heart? When we talk about being servant-hearted is our heart filled with homage and obedience to God? What about towards others? How do we act towards others? Do we respect them? Do we serve them?

It's interesting isn't it...we say that we need to be and want to be more like Jesus...we preach it...we sing it...we tell people that we 'live' by His example...but are we being true to that? Jesus was our greatest example of being a servant! He didn't try to put across to everyone that He was the 'bees knees'...even though He was...He loved...He cared for...He mentored His people and showed them the right way to live...but He did it in a way that was relevant to them and He didnt make them feel inferior or not worthy of His time or attention...and He did it with the intention that He would train them up to be His leaders here on earth...you see a good leader needs to be servant-hearted and needs to be training people up that will take over for them. The only way to do that is to let go of your pride and LET others step in!

To be servant hearted you need to let go of your pride! You cannot hold onto that because if you do you cant have a servant heart and you cant have a flourishing ministry! Some of you Im sure are thinking 'Wow...thats so true...I know someone just like that! I know someone who needs to be more humble! Not me though...Ive got that down pat!' Well, thats not why Im writing this blog...infact Im not even suggesting that I have it all down pat and that I am a perfect example to follow! The perfect example is Jesus! I know I can be proud at times! But, we are good at that arent we? We're good at hearing God speak in a sermon or a message or maybe in a blog...and we're quick to point the finger and say 'I know someone like that!' Well, this is a message for ALL people because there is no one on this earth who has mastered this! At times we can all be a bit pride-filled when we think we're right and dont want to admit we're wrong! Sure there are beautiful people out there who are very servant hearted (like Mother Theresa was)...but we are not perfect! Only God is...thats not to say give up and never try to acheive being like Jesus. But its saying that we are not perfect and so we need to be open to rebuke and we need to always be striving for more and more of Christ! Thats what we live for!!

So, if youre in leadership...or any role...take a look at what youre doing and ask yourself...'Am I being servant hearted? Could I help someone clean up instead of expecting them to clean up after me? Could I empower more people and train more people to take on my position when I go? How could I better serve the people around me? How can I be more like Jesus?'

Lets fight to be more servant-hearted!! Dig in for more of Jesus...trust me, you can NEVER get enough!!

Bless you all...

Your sister in Christ

FIGHTING FOR THE CAUSE!!

Jodi