My mother and I always joke about our cat, Simba, having servants. He
seems to think that he is entitled to having everyone in the house "wait
on him". This comes from the old joke about dogs having owners and cats
having servants. When we first heard this, we laughed, but then decided
that there was some truth to the joke. The cat relies on us for his
care, and because we love him, we are happy to look after him, and
sometimes pamper him with treats.
The Oxford dictionary defines
"servant" as 1: a person who has undertaken (usually in return for
stipulated pay) to carry out the orders of an individual or corporate
employer, especially a person employed in a house on domestic duties or
as a personal attendant, and 2: a devoted follower, a person willing to
serve another.
Recently, I became an elder at my church. I
consider it to be a huge honour, and was thrilled when I was ordained,
and anxious to start serving the congregation. This month, I was
responsible for communion for the first time. I was anxious at first,
afraid that I would do something wrong. However, when I went up to the
front, I suddenly realized that I was acting as a servant of God, and it
completely transformed the experience for me. Being a servant is often
considered to be a demeaning experience. It really shouldn't be for
those of us who are truly servants of God, and we should, instead,
consider it to be a position of honour.
Mark 10:45 "For even the
Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a
ransom for many." (ESV)
As Jesus served, so should we. I have
found that, since coming back to the church after an absence of many
years, I truly feel like a member of my church family. The members of my
church care about one another and are grateful to help one another out.
Because of this, I am beginning to understand what it means to be a
servant.
Prayer: Dear God, please give us the courage and
strength to be true servants to You and Your church. Amen.
Mission, British Columbia, Canada
Thanks to
PresbyCan Daily Devotional
