Being a servant has never been a popular concept. It was Christ that turned that idea on its head. He washed the feet of twelve men that were already fighting amongst themselves about who was the greatest and who would rule on the left and right of Jesus in His kingdom (John 13:5; Mark 10:37, 42). Being a servant was something that He had been instructing them during His ministry on earth. “Calling them to Himself, Jesus said to them, ‘You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great men exercise authority over them. But it is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many’” (Mark 10:42-45). Jesus clearly achieved this. He “emptied Himself, taking the form of a bondservant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Phil. 2:7-8). Since the servant is not greater than the Master, where does that leave us (John 13:16)?
The apostle Paul leaves us a great example of what it means to be a servant in this present age. Being in a position where he could have demanded authority, he was often found using names to humble his status, “Paul, a bondservant of Christ Jesus” (Rom. 1:1; Phil. 1:1; Tit. 1:1). It’s that servant heart that is on display in his second letter to the Corinthians. He begins by stating what a servant doesn’t do, “giving no cause for offense in anything” (2 Cor. 6:3). The reason is so that the message wouldn’t be discredited. The spreading of the gospel is more important than our comfort and our perceived rights. He then begins to speak about how a servant of God can be exhibited to those around them. It was in everything that he did (6:4). Those negative things that happened in his service were proof positive that he was a true servant of God and not men (Gal. 1:10). This is what he lists: “in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses, in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger” (6:4b-5). There are other things that must be as well: “in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love, in the word of truth, in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left” (6:6-7).
If we are going to be servants of God in Christ, then we must be taking a hard look at our service. What are we doing to spread the gospel and what is it costing us? Are we willing to lay down everything in service to Him?