The Selfish Girl’s Guide to Servanthood #2 – Jordan Christy
#2 – Mother Theresa vs. June Cleaver
When you hear the phrase ΓÇ£servantΓÇÖs heart,ΓÇ¥ what do you picture? A ΓÇÿ50ΓÇÖs mom sacrificing her career for the sake of homemade pie and domestic bliss? A missionary living in dire conditions for the sake of the gospel?
I picture Mother TheresaΓÇödown in the muck and mire of Calcutta, kissing dirty little kids and caring for abandoned orphansΓÇönot me in my skinny jeans, taking the corner on two wheels and spilling my venti Starbucks, attempting to make it on time for the pick-up line.
So, based on my figurative servantΓÇÖs heart scale and how far down there I rank (I figure IΓÇÖm somewhere between Lucy Ricardo and that pop star who let her kid dangle out of the car), I resigned myself to the fact that I simply donΓÇÖt have a servantΓÇÖs heart.
ThatΓÇÖs no problem for most people, but for believers, servanthood is encouraged, nay, preached at every turn. And rightfully so.
There are mission fields to fill, homeless people to feed, and lost to bring to the Lord. So, how does one acquire a desire to do those things? How does one go about getting a servantΓÇÖs heart?
Answer: by being around Jesus.
Think about itΓÇöthe disciples probably werenΓÇÖt anything special before they started hanging around JesusΓÇöthey were just average guys, trying to make an honest living. But, by the end of it, they were traveling around the countryside, giving away everything they had, preaching the gospel and changing the world.
ΓÇ£The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them.ΓÇ¥ ΓÇô Matthew 21:6
So, back to todayΓÇÖs question: How do I get a servantΓÇÖs heart? How do I stop being so self-centered? How do I start seeing people through the eyes of love?
The answer: by being around Jesus.
If youΓÇÖve ever felt guilty over your lack of servantΓÇÖs-heart-ness, feel free to pray this prayer.
God, please forgive me for all the silly notions and mental images I conjure up of what servanthood looks like. Show me what it truly looks like to be Your servant. Give me your heart, mercy, and compassion for those around me. Make me more like You. Amen.
