THE WAY TO GREATNESS: SERVANTHOOD

“God only uses servants! Others need not apply. A servant’s heart is as close to God as man can get. Jesus is the Servant! . . . Jesus gave to the world ‘the Order of the Towel.’ The only instrument God uses to build churches is a towel. This has never been done before or since in our history. The way up is down; the last are first; you die to live; you give to get (Matthew 20:16; Mark 9:35). Everything in Christ is ‘upside down.’” The proud man cannot serve the way Jesus wants His followers to serve. What does the proud man do? He may do church work. He buys churches, and he runs churches. To be sure, he will impress a lot of people. Yes, he can even fool large numbers of people. Do you see the big difference between being a servant and being a church-worker? There is more to being a servant than just doing some service. Only those who are firmly established in Christ can use the towel effectively. Christians do not come to worship to serve the elders, to serve the preachers, or to even serve the church. They come to serve God.

If Jesus had said, “Who will wash My feet?” Peter would probably have been the first to jump up. Then there would have been some fighting over who would get to do it. What an honor it would have been to wash Jesus’ feet! Nevertheless, the big issue in life is not in the washing of others’ feet. No, the supreme task is allowing our feet to be washed. It is much easier to help others than it is to allow others to help us. We say, “I do not want to be helped. I only want to serve others.” We have often heard of brethren who have wound up in the hospital because they did not ask for help. If someone is sick and needs help, he should humble himself and let the church encourage him and minister to him. Let us picture a man who would be happy to go and help another person in a time of need—whether that need is physical, emotional, or spiritual. However, that same person is unable to accept help from others. The ones who need the help of the church are the ones who are the hardest for others to help. We say that we do not want to be dependent or need anybody, but Jesus illustrated with His towel the importance of dependence.

Jesus has given us two charges. First, He wants followers who can wash any foot. No foot is excluded. We do not get to pick the feet that we want to wash. We must be willing to wash any foot in the church or anywhere else! Second, He wants followers who will allow their feet to be washed. He invites us to come to Him and humble ourselves and be dependent followers. He wants Christians who understand their weaknesses and failures. As long as a person will wash the feet of others and will allow God to keep his feet washed, then God can and will use that person. Peter learned a great lesson from a rooster. When he heard the rooster crow, he remembered what Jesus had told him. He wept bitterly because he had denied the Lord three times (Mark 14:72). Nevertheless, he was able to preach on Pentecost. This was not because he could wash the feet of others. He could only preach because he had allowed God to wash his feet. No one can properly stand behind a pulpit unless God has washed his feet.

The simple truth is this: Anyone can serve God, as long as he will say, “God, I have dirty feet. I am weak, and I am in need. I cannot live for You on my own.” Confession is good for the soul, and it is also necessary for service; it prepares us to serve God. We must bring all our needs and cares to God. He will wash our feet and give us salvation. Turning to God means that we must swallow all of our pride and confess all of our sins and shortcomings. Once washed, we are ready to do the serving that God has in mind for us.

Word Affirmation: “ But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day." – Proverbs 4:18 (Don't just say it, mean it!)

“ Confession is good for the soul, and it is also necessary for service; it prepares us to serve God. "

MIND THIS