“…just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:28
Back in the day, probably a few years ago I shared a photo of a Haitian child and asked you ‘what type of future do you suppose her parents hoped for this child’. As it usually happens, that devotion came to mind during a message from Pastor Tom Wirsing a few weeks ago while serving as our guest pastor as Our Redeemer Lutheran in Bloomington is still in vacancy. And, last Sunday, Pastor Wirsing gave us an answer that should fit well for how we answer the above question in the title.
So today, I will ask the question a little differently. "What do you want to be when you grow up?" I am now treading heavily into my 70’s…I’m grown up and old; I want to be ‘pain free’. That's a favorite question we enjoy asking children and our grandchildren. And the answers that we get usually are "a police officer" or "a nurse" or maybe "a fire fighter." Back in my day ‘cowboy’ was high on the list Some kids today are visionaries and they answer "a movie star" or "a singer" or "a doctor" or "a pro ball player." I have seldom heard car mechanic, garbage man, politician or prize fighter; never a drug dealer.
Let's take that same question and ask it another way. This was inspired by the Andy Stanley Bible study called ‘The Bible for Grown-ups”. Try to imagine asking Jesus Christ what He wants us to be when we grow up. His answer covers all ages. Suddenly, it's a whole new question. I honestly believe He would give the same answer to every one of us: "I want you to be different; to be a servant." Have you ever wanted to be a servant? It sounds lowly, humiliating and lacking in dignity.
We find it encouraging to think of ourselves as God's servants. Who wouldn't want to be a servant of the King? But when it comes to serving other people, we begin to question the consequences. We feel noble when serving God; we feel humble when serving people. Serving God receives a favorable response; serving people, like these kids in Haiti, has no visible benefit or glory from anyone except from God! Christ gave us the example: "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." Dear brothers and sisters, to be a servant of God, we must be a servant of people. When we serve, we think first of the one we are trying to serve. Pastor Wirsing encouraged that our call was to ‘Shine the Light’ of the Gospel throughout our journey on this side of paradise. May we faithfully shine that Gospel Light.
Dear Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.
May God be with you,
Jay